Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are brain abundant RNAs of mostly unknown functions. To seek their roles in Parkinson’s disease (PD), we generated an RNA-sequencing resource of several brain region from dozens of PD patients and control donors. In the healthy substantia nigra (SN), circRNAs accumulate in an age-dependent manner, but in the PD SN this correlation is lost and the total number of circRNAs reduced. In contrast, the levels of circRNAs are increased in the other brain regions of PD patients. The paper describes additional findings about other circRNAs like circSLC8A1. We suggest that circSLC8A1 regulates the function of miR-128. Further, circSLC8A1 levels increased in cultured cells exposed to the oxidative stress-inducing agent and were sensitive to specific drugs. Together, our work links circSLC8A1 to oxidative stress-related Parkinsonism and suggests further exploration of its molecular function in PD.
