Regulation of STAT3 by miR-106a is linked to cognitive impairment in ovariectomized mice

MicroRNAs are abundantly expressed in the brain and play an important role in disorders of the brain, including cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease (AD). A growing body of evidence suggests that the janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of AD. However, it is unclear whether miRNAs are involved in this process. Therefore, we characterized the expression and role of miR-106a and JAK/STAT signaling in an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model of cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment, as indicated by escape latency and time spent in the platform quadrant in the Morris water maze test, was significantly reduced at 12 weeks post-OVX, compared to age-matched controls. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting demonstrated that miR-106a was upregulated, and STAT3 and phospho-STAT3 were downregulated in the hippocampus at 12 weeks post-OVX, compared with age matched controls and the 6 and 8 weeks post-OVX groups. Transfection of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with a miR-106a mimic reduced the expression of STAT3 mRNA, compared to control cells transfected with a scrambled mimic. STAT3 and phospho-STAT3 protein expression was upregulated or downregulated by a miR-106a inhibitor or miR-106a mimic, respectively, indicating that miR-106a negatively regulates STAT3. Luciferase reporter gene assays confirmed that miR-106a directly targets the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of STAT3. This study suggests that miR-106a negatively regulates STAT3 activation, and also that miR-106a may provide a marker of onset or potential therapeutic target for cognitive disturbances.