Regulation of Ion Channels by MicroRNAs and the Implication for Epilepsy

The goal of this focused review is to describe recent studies supporting a critical role of microRNAs in the regulation of ion channels and discuss the resulting implications for the modulation of neuronal excitability in epilepsy. MicroRNA-induced silencing of ion channels has been shown in several different studies in recent years, and some of these reports suggest a prominent role in epilepsy. The ion channels regulated by microRNAs include ligand- and voltage-gated channels and are not only limited to the central nervous system but have also been found in the peripheral nervous system. Ion channel-targeting microRNAs can regulate the intrinsic excitability of neurons, and thus influence entire networks in the brain. Their dysregulation in epilepsy may contribute to the disease phenotype. More research is needed to better understand the molecular mechanisms of how microRNAs regulate ion channels to control neuronal excitability, and how these processes are altered in epilepsy.