Objective: To determine whether the alterations of microRNA expression in central nervous tissues can be detected in peripheral leukocytes in Huntington’s disease (HD) patients.

Background: Huntington’s disease (HD), presenting with a predominant neurodegeneration of striatum and cerebral cortex in autosomal dominant inheritance, is caused by expansion of a polyglutamine tract within huntingtin (HTT) protein. Although a few studies have identified substantial microRNA alterations in central nervous tissues of HD patients, it will be more accessible to employ these molecular changes in peripheral tissues as biomarkers for HD.

Methods: Herein we examined the expression levels of 10 miRNAs (miR-1, mirR-9, miR-9*, miR-10b, miR-29a, miR-132, miR-155, miR-196a, miR-196b, and miR615), all of which previously demonstrated alterations in the brains of HD patients, in the peripheral leukocytes of 28 HD patients and 23 healthy controls.

Results: We found expression level of miR-9* was significantly down-regulated in HD patients when compared with the controls, while other miRNAs did not show significant difference between these two groups. However, there was no significant correlation between Unified Huntington’s Disease Rating Scales (UHDRS) and levels of miR-9* in HD patients. 

Conclusions: Our findings indicate the potential of miR-9* in peripheral leukocyte as a signature of neurodegeneration in HD patients. 

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/down-regulation-of-mir-9-in-the-peripheral-leukocytes-of-huntingtons-disease-patients/