MicroRNAs as potential therapeutics for treating spinal cord injury

Hualin Yan, Peiwei Hong, Mei Jiang, Hedong Li

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

MicroRNAs are a class of recently discovered, small non-coding RNAs that have been shown to play essential roles in a vast majority of biological processes. Very little is known about the role of microRNAs during spinal cord injury. This review summarizes the changes in expression levels of microRNAs after spinal cord injury. These aberrant changes suggest that microRNAs play an important role in inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, glial scar formation and axonal regeneration. Given their small size and specificity of action, microRNAs could be potential therapeutics for treating spinal cord injury in the future. There are rapidly developing techniques for manipulating microRNA levels in animals; we review different chemical modification and delivery strategies. These may provide platforms for designing efficient microRNA delivery protocols for use in the clinic.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalNeural Regeneration Research
Volume7
Issue number17
StatePublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Antagomir
  • Anti-miR
  • Axonal regeneration
  • MicroRNAs
  • Neural regeneration
  • Reactive astrogliosis
  • Reviews
  • Spinal cord injury

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental Neuroscience

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