Targeting microRNAs to Regulate the Integrity of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Juntao Wang; Fang Xu; Xiaoming Zhu; Xianghua Li; Yankun Li; Jia Li

doi:10.3389/fbioe.2021.673415

Targeting microRNAs to Regulate the Integrity of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2021 Jun 11:9:673415. doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.673415. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Juntao Wang^{1

2}, Fang Xu^{1

2}, Xiaoming Zhu^{1

2}, Xianghua Li³, Yankun Li^{3

4}, Jia Li⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Nuclear Technology and Chemistry and Biology, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
² Hubei Key Laboratory of Radiation Chemistry and Functional Materials, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
³ School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
⁴ Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Metabolic Disorders, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, China.
⁵ Centre for Motor Neuron Disease, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly specialized neurovascular unit that protects the brain from potentially harmful substances. In addition, the BBB also engages in the exchange of essential nutrients between the vasculature and brain parenchyma, which is critical for brain homeostasis. Brain diseases, including neurological disorders and cerebrovascular diseases, are often associated with disrupted BBB integrity, evidenced by increased permeability. Therefore, defining the mechanisms underlying the regulation of BBB integrity is crucial for the development of novel therapeutics targeting brain diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNA), a type of small non-coding RNAs, are emerging as an important regulator of BBB integrity. Here we review recent developments related to the role of miRNAs in regulating BBB integrity.

Keywords: blood–brain barrier; microRNA; nanobiotechnology; regulate; targeting.

Publication types

Review