Inhibition of microRNA-210 provides neuroprotection in hypoxic–ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats

• Main Authors: Qingyi Ma, Chiranjib Dasgupta, Yong Li, Nikita M. Bajwa, Fuxia Xiong, Benjamin Harding, Richard Hartman, Lubo Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2016-05-01
• Series: Neurobiology of Disease
• Subjects: Neonatal hypoxic–ischemic brain injury; MicroRNA-210; Glucocorticoid receptor; Complementary locked nucleic acid (LNA) oligonucleotides; Intranasal delivery; Neuroprotection
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096999611630033X

Perinatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is associated with high neonatal mortality and severe long-term neurologic morbidity. Yet the mechanisms of brain injury in infants with HIE remain largely elusive. The present study determined a novel mechanism of microRNA-210 (miR-210) in silencing endogenous neuroprotection and increasing hypoxic–ischemic brain injury in neonatal rats. The study further revealed a potential therapeutic effect of miR-210 inhibition using complementary locked nucleic acid oligonucleotides (miR-210-LNA) in 10-day-old neonatal rats in the Rice–Vannucci model. The underlying mechanisms were investigated with intracerebroventricular injection (i.c.v) of miR-210 mimic, miR-210-LNA, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) agonist and antagonist. Luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted for identification of miR-210 targeting GR 3′untranslated region. The results showed that the HI treatment significantly increased miR-210 levels in the brain, and miR-210 mimic significantly decreased GR protein abundance and exacerbated HI brain injury in the pups. MiR-210-LNA administration via i.c.v. 4 h after the HI insult significantly decreased brain miR-210 levels, increased GR protein abundance, reduced HI-induced neuronal death and brain infarct size, and improved long-term neurological function recovery. Of importance, the intranasal delivery of miR-210-LNA 4 h after the HI insult produced similar effects in decreasing HI-induced neonatal brain injury and improving neurological function later in life. Altogether, the present study provides evidence of a novel mechanism of miR-210 in a neonatal HI brain injury model, and suggests a potential therapeutic approach of miR-210 inhibition in the treatment of neonatal HIE.