Environmental Influencers, MicroRNA, and Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex neurological disorder characterized by an aberrant immune system that affects patients’ quality of life. Several environmental factors have previously been proposed to associate with MS pathophysiology, including vitamin D deficiency, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, and cigarette smoking. These factors may influence cellular molecularity, interfering with cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. This review argues that small noncoding RNA named microRNA (miRNA) influences these factors’ mode of action. Dysregulation in the miRNAs network may deeply impact cellular hemostasis, thereby possibly resulting in MS pathogenicity. This article represents a literature review and an author’s theory of how environmental factors may induce dysregulations in the miRNAs network, which could ultimately affect MS pathogenicity.