Hypoxia-induced MicroRNA-210 targets neurodegenerative pathways

Hypoxia-regulated microRNA-210 (miR-210) is a highly conserved microRNA, known to regulate various processes under hypoxic conditions. Previously we found that miR-210 is also involved in honeybee learning and memory, raising the questions of how neural activity may induce hypoxia-regulated genes and how miR-210 may regulate plasticity in more complex mammalian systems. Using a pull-down approach, we identified 620 unique target genes of miR-210 in humans, among which there was a significant enrichment of age-related neurodegenerative pathways, including Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. We have also validated that miR-210 directly regulates various identified target genes of interest involved with neuronal plasticity, neurodegenerative diseases, and miR-210-associated cancers. This data suggests a potentially novel mechanism for how metabolic changes may couple plasticity to neuronal activity through hypoxia-regulated genes such as miR-210.