MicroRNA-124-3p and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in rat spinal cord injury: Inverse expression pattern

Spinal cord injury (SCI) significantly impacts the central nervous system, with limited effective treatments available. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in neuronal growth, survival, and regeneration after SCI. MicroRNAs, particularly miR-124-3p, have been implicated in SCI pathophysiology. However, the relationship between miR-124-3p and BDNF in the context of SCI remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between miR-124-3p expression and BDNF levels in a rat model of spinal cord injury and to assess how the timing of injury affects this relationship.

Methods

This study included 72 male Wistar rats divided into three groups: intact (n = 8), sham (n = 32), and SCI (n = 32). SCI diagnosis was confirmed through behavioral-motor function analysis using the Basso, Beattie & Brenham score and histological examination with crystal violet staining. The expression levels of miR-124-3p and BDNF were assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction in all groups at four time points (one hour, one day, three days, and seven days post-injury).

Results

In the SCI group, a marked reduction in miR-124-3p expression was observed relative to both the sham and intact groups. Conversely, there was a substantial elevation in BDNF expression within the SCI group in comparison to the sham and intact groups. The findings underscore a negative association between miR-124-3p expression and BDNF messenger RNA levels.

Conclusions

This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between miR-124-3p and BDNF expression in the context of spinal cord injury. Our findings demonstrate a significant downregulation of miR-124-3p and a concurrent upregulation of BDNF levels following SCI in a rat model. These results, supported by histological examinations and behavioral assessments, suggest a potential regulatory role of miR-124-3p in BDNF expression and SCI pathophysiology. While our study contributes to the understanding of SCI molecular mechanisms, further research is needed to fully explore the therapeutic potential of targeting the miR-124-3p/BDNF pathway. Future studies should focus on in vivo manipulation of miR-124-3p levels and explore combination therapies to enhance regenerative responses after SCI. These findings may pave the way for novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic strategies in spinal cord injury management.

Full text

https://www.xiahepublishing.com/1555-3884/GE-2024-00073

The study was recently published in the Gene Expression.

Gene Expression (GE) is an open-access journal. It was launched in 1991 by Chicago Medical School Press, and transferred to Cognizant Communication Corporation in 1994. From August 2022, GE is published by Xia & He Publishing Inc.   

GE publishes peer-reviewed and high-quality original articles, reviews, editorials, commentaries, and opinions on its primary research topics including cell biology, molecular biology, genes, and genetics, especially on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human diseases. 

GE has been indexed in Medline (1991-2021), Scopus, Biological Abstracts, Biosis Previews, ProQuest, etc.

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