MicroRNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and play significant roles in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Dysregulations of miRNAs have recently been associated with several autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is thought to be triggered through chronic inflammatory autoimmune responses in the central nervous system (CNS) during early adulthood. Autoimmune aspects of MS lead to demyelination of neurons, which is accompanied by mononuclear immune cell infiltration into the CNS, and a process that has recently been associated with the expression of distinct miRNAs during the pathogenesis of the disease. While previous studies have linked individual miRNAs to MS, a systematic integration of high-confidence miRNA–gene networks specific to the disease is lacking. In this review, we investigate the 20 genes involved in MS and their associated miRNAs that affect gene expression, using multiple publicly available databases. By integrating data from CTD, STRING, and miRNA target databases, we identify high-confidence miRNA–gene pairs and summarize experimental evidence on their roles in MS. Our findings provide a comprehensive overview of miRNAs and their effects on gene expression, highlighting several unstudied regulatory relationships that may offer new insights into MS pathogenesis and potential molecular targets for future research. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.