Therapeutic Potential of Intravenous miR-21 Mimic after Stroke Following STAIR Criteria

• Published in: Translational stroke research 2023-12
• Main Authors: Chelluboina, Bharath, Jeong, Soomin, Davis, Charles Kozhikkadan, Mehta, Suresh L, Vemuganti, Raghu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1868-4483; 1868-601X; 1868-601X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12975-023-01223-8

The microRNA-21 (miR-21) levels in the brain are crucial in determining post-stroke brain damage and recovery. The miR-21 exerts neuroprotection by targeting mRNAs that translate proteins that mediate brain damage. We currently determined the efficacy and efficiency of intravenously administered miR-21 mimic after focal cerebral ischemia in mice. Adult male mice were intravenously administered with either control mimic or miR-21 mimic at 5 min/2 h after reperfusion following 1 h transient middle cerebral artery occlusion to determine the therapeutic window of miR-21 mimic. Adult female, type-2 diabetic male, aged male, and aged female mice were administered with control/miR-21 mimic at 5 min after reperfusion following 35 min/1 h transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Early administration of miR-21 mimic significantly reduced brain damage and promoted long-term recovery after stroke. Further, miR-21 mimic is more effective in males than in females subjected to stroke. However, delayed treatment with miR-21 mimic is not efficacious, and type-2 diabetic subjects show no improvement with miR-21 mimic treatment.