Previous studies have shown that Toll-like receptors on neurons and glia can cause CNS damage through mechanisms that are not pathogen-induced, but the identity of these alternative triggers remained elusive. Lehnardt and colleagues now show that the microRNA (miRNA) let-7 can act as a potent activator of TLR7 signalling in neurons and that this activation can induce neurodegeneration, thus also revealing a new role of miRNAs beyond their function as regulators of gene expression.
An unconventional role for miRNA: let-7 activates Toll-like receptor 7 and causes neurodegeneration
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