MicroRNA-92a-CPEB3 axis protects neurons against inflammatory neurodegeneration.

Abstract

Neuroinflammation causes neuronal injury in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important modulators of neuronal stress responses, but knowledge about their contribution to neuronal protection or damage during inflammation is limited. Here, we constructed a regulatory miRNA-mRNA network of inflamed motor neurons by leveraging cell type-specific miRNA and mRNA sequencing of mice undergoing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We found robust induction of miR-92a in inflamed spinal cord neurons and identified cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 3 (<i>Cpeb3</i>) as a key target of miR-92a-mediated posttranscriptional silencing. We detected CPEB3 repression in inflamed neurons in murine EAE and human MS. Moreover, both miR-92a delivery and <i>Cpeb3</i> deletion protected neuronal cultures against excitotoxicity. Supporting a detrimental effect of <i>Cpeb3</i> in vivo, neuron-specific deletion in conditional <i>Cpeb3</i> knockout animals led to reduced inflammation-induced clinical disability in EAE. Together, we identified a neuroprotective miR-92a-<i>Cpeb3</i> axis in neuroinflammation that might serve as potential treatment target to limit inflammation-induced neuronal damage.