Table 2 Comprehensive list of brain specific microRNAs and their targets and functions related to brain

miR-9

KCNMA1, cyclicAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), neurofibromin 1 (NF1), Hes1, FoxP2, prelamin A

Promotes Neuronal differentiation, Inhibits proliferation, Promotes migration, Control neural stem cell differentiation

[65, 87, 106–112]

miR-124 a-b

SNAI2, NR3C2, SOS1, CDK4, Usp14, inhibitory member of the apoptosis-stimulating proteins of p53 family (iASPP), AMPA2 and AMPA3, SCP-1, PTBP1, Sox9, Ephrin-B1, JAG1, BAF53a, CDK6, p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase, CEBPa, RhoG, anachronism (ana), SNAI2, Lhx2, Ctdsp1, BACE1, NeuroD1

Promotes neuronal transcriptome/neurogenesis; inhibit proliferation of glioblastoma multiforme cells and induce differentiation of brain tumor stem cells, regulation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, radiosensitize Glioblastoma multiforme cells, promotes neuronal survival under ischemic conditions, induce differentiation into neurons, regulates the migration of glioma cells and the self-renewal of GSCs, inhibits growth of medulloblastoma xenograft tumors, regulates neuroblast proliferation, alleviates cell death.

[53, 65, 95, 113–134]

miR-134

Nanog, LRH1, Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1), μ-opioid receptor (MOR), DPD gene (DPYD), Xenopus LIM kinase 1 (Xlimk1), cMYC, Pum2, Dcx and Chrdl-1, CREB, splicing factor SC35, Limk1

Controls dendritic spine development, control synaptic protein synthesis and plasticity, inhibits cell proliferation, invasion and migration capability and promotes apoptosis, inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition, guidance of nerve growth cones, growth-promoting effect on dendritogenesis; inducer of pluripotent stem cell differentiation; stage-specific modulation of cortical development, regulates memory, modify both alternative splicing and cholinergic neurotransmission

[135–147]

miR-135

Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK), EB1, NR3C2, Smad5, APC

Decreased cell invasion and increased drug sensitivity, regulation of immunity, regulation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, inhibit differentiation of osteoprogenitors, regulates Wnt signaling pathway.

[52, 118, 148–151]

miR-153

SNCA, BSN, PCLO, amyloid-β (Aβ) precursor protein (APP), APLP2, alpha-synuclein, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, SNAI1 and ZEB2

Promote neuronal differentiation, impairs self-renewal ability and induces differentiation, repress growth and induce apoptosis of GBM-stem cells, decreases cell proliferation and increases apoptosis in GBM cell line, regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor metastasis, regulate gliomagenesis.

[52, 152–159]

miR-219

EGFR, PLK2, Sox6, FoxJ3, PDGFRα, ZFP238, ELOVL7, CaMKIIgamma

Inhibits the proliferation, anchorage independent growth and migration of glioma cells, promote oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination, modulates NMDA receptor-mediated neurobehavioral dysfunction, maintenance of lipids and redox homeostasis in mature Olligodendrocytes, regulates circadian rhythms of expression.

[52, 160–166]