{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T22:26:49Z","timestamp":1789165609890,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]],"date-time":"2026-01-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768608000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Band\u0131rma Onyedi Eyl\u00fcl University","award":["BAP-25-1003-001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BAP-25-1003-001"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuronal loss and abnormal \u03b1-synuclein aggregation. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers and potential modulators of PD-related molecular pathways. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of four candidate miRNAs\u2014miR-15a-5p, miR-16-5p, miR-139-5p, and miR-34a-3p\u2014in patients with PD compared with healthy controls. A total of 47 PD patients and 45 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled. Plasma miRNA levels were quantified using standardized RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, and qPCR protocols. We observed marked upregulation of miR-15a-5p and robust downregulation of both miR-139-5p and miR-34a-3p in PD patients, whereas miR-16-5p showed no significant difference between groups. Target gene prediction and functional enrichment analysis identified 432 unique genes, with enrichment in biological processes related to protein ubiquitination and catabolic pathways, and signaling cascades such as mTOR, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and Hippo pathways, all of which are implicated in neurodegeneration. Elevated miR-15a-5p may contribute to pro-apoptotic mechanisms, while reduced miR-139-5p and miR-34a-3p expression may reflect impaired mitochondrial function, diminished neuroprotection, or compensatory regulatory responses. Together, these dysregulated circulating miRNAs provide novel insight into PD pathophysiology and highlight their potential as accessible, non-invasive biomarkers. Further longitudinal studies in larger and more diverse cohorts are warranted to validate their diagnostic and prognostic value and to explore their utility as therapeutic targets.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms27020930","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,20]],"date-time":"2026-01-20T09:24:34Z","timestamp":1768901074000},"page":"930","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Dysregulated MicroRNAs in Parkinson\u2019s Disease: Pathogenic Mechanisms and Biomarker Potential"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6110-9558","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yasemin","family":"\u00dcnal","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Band\u0131rma Onyedi Eyl\u00fcl University, 10200 Bal\u0131kesir, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1695-2420","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dilek","family":"Akba\u015f","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Mu\u011fla S\u0131tk\u0131 Ko\u00e7man University, 48000 Mu\u011fla, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"\u00c7ilem","family":"\u00d6zdemir","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Bioinformatics, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Mu\u011fla S\u0131tk\u0131 Ko\u00e7man University, 48000 Mu\u011fla, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tuba","family":"Edg\u00fcnl\u00fc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Mu\u011fla S\u0131tk\u0131 Ko\u00e7man University, 48000 Mu\u011fla, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"368","DOI":"10.1136\/jnnp.2007.131045","article-title":"Parkinson\u2019s disease: Clinical features and diagnosis","volume":"79","author":"Jankovic","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. 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