Role of miR-146a in neural stem cell differentiation and neural lineage determination: relevance for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Lam Son Nguyen, Julien Fregeac, Christine Bole-Feysot and 7 others
PMID 29951184WHAT IT FOUND
This microRNA was higher in child ASD brain samples and pushed human neural stem cells toward neuron-like changes during differentiation.
This is lab evidence about early brain development, not a therapy tested in patients.
Key findings
01miR-146a expression was 1.3-fold higher in temporal lobe samples from ASD children aged 4-9 years than in controls.
02In differentiating human neural stem cells, miR-146a overexpression reduced proliferation, increased neurite branching and extension, and shifted marker expression toward neurons.
03miR-146a altered gene networks linked to cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation, and directly targeted DCX, GAD1, and PAK3.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The total number of brain donors is not given in the supplied text. The study used cell lines and post-mortem tissue, not living patients receiving a treatment. The engineered overexpression may not match the level or timing seen in normal development. The authors note limited sample numbers. No clinical symptoms, communication outcomes, or therapy results were measured.
Declared interests
Funders named are Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale, Crédit Agricole d'Ile-de-France Mécénat, Fondation de France, and Agence Nationale de la Recherche. The supplied text does not state author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that a therapy can change this microRNA or improve autism symptoms. The work used brain samples and cells in the lab, not patients receiving a treatment.