AUTHOR=Wang Lin , Zhang Lijuan 

TITLE=Emerging Roles of Dysregulated MicroRNAs in Myasthenia Gravis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 14 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2020.00507

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2020.00507

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare acquired autoimmune neuromuscular disease. Autoantibodies, cellular immunity, complement, and cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of MG. It is characterized by the dysfunction of neuromuscular junction transmission and skeletal muscle weakness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding small molecule ribonucleic acids that regulate various biological processes (e.g., development, differentiation, and immunity) at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels of gene expression. miRNAs play an important regulatory role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including MG. In recent studies, the functional mechanisms underlying the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of MG have received increasing attention. Although several miRNAs are dysregulated in MG, the exact roles of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of this disease are still unclear. miRNAs are highly stable and have high specificity in peripheral body fluids. Therefore, the miRNAs in body fluids may represent promising biomarkers for determining the prognosis of MG and the efficacy of treatment. The clarification of the molecular mechanisms associated with miRNAs will increase our understanding of the regulation of the neuroimmune system, which may help to establish novel miRNA-based therapies to overcome MG. This article reviews the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of MG, highlights the potential of miRNAs as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of MG, and deepens our understanding of disease processes.