MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profiling of blood leukocytes of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients pre- and post-deep brain stimulation treatment and of healthy control volunteers

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent, multifaceted neurodegenerative disease caused by mostly unknown factors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small (~21 nucleotides long) RNAs that regulate up to hundreds of target genes. To study the role of miRNAs in PD and following surgical brain electrical stimulation treatment response, the expression profiling of miRNAs in peripheral blood leukocyte cells of PD patients pre- deep brain stimulation (DBS) and post-DBS both on electrical stimulation, and following a short one-hour electrical stimulation cessation, as well as of healthy control volunteers, were examined. Total RNA was extracted from the blood leukocytes of 3 PD patients in three states: pre-DBS, post-DBS on electrical stimulation and following one hour off electrical stimulation, and of 3 healthy control volunteers. miRNA expression was examined.