LncRNA HOTAIR in exercise-induced neuro-protective function in Alzheimer’s disease

Introduction
Exercise is effective in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is characterized by neuro-degenerative progress with increasing morbidity. The present study aimed to explore whether HOTAIR participated in the regulation of exercise in AD.

Material and methods
A relative expression of serum HOTAIR was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The diagnostic significance of HOTAIR on distinguishing AD patients was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Correlations between HOTAIR expression and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score or Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) score were analyzed with Pearson’s test. Logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate factors as independent indicators for HOTAIR expression.

Results
In AD patients, the expression of HOTAIR was increased, and it could function as a diagnostic marker in AD patients. The expression of HOTAIR was associated with MMSE score and ADAS-Cog score in AD patients before exercise. Exercise ameliorated the cognitive impairment and reduced the relative serum expression of HOTAIR. Exercise was proved to be an independent indicator of HOTAIR expression.

Conclusions
HOTAIR was a possible biomarker for indicating AD patients, and it was correlated with MMSE scores and ADAS-Cog results. Exercise might moderate AD progress via controlling HOTAIR.