MiR-130a-3p regulates neural stem cell differentiation in vitro by targeting Acsl4

In the adult mammalian brain, neural stem cells (NSCs) are the precursor cells of neurons that contribute to nervous system development, regeneration, and repair. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate cell fate determination and differentiation by negatively regulating gene expression. Here, we identified a post-transcriptional mechanism, centred around miR-130a-3p that regulated NSC differentiation. Importantly, overexpressing miR-130a-3p promoted NSC differentiation into neurons, whereas inhibiting miR-130a-3p function reduced the number of neurons. Then, the quantitative PCR, Western blot and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-130a-3p negatively regulated acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (Acsl4) expression. Additionally, inhibition of Acsl4 promoted NSC differentiation into neurons, whereas silencing miR-130a-3p partially suppressed the neuronal differentiation induced by inhibiting Acsl4. Furthermore, overexpressing miR-130a-3p or inhibiting Acsl4 increased the levels of p-AKT, p-GSK-3β and PI3K. In conclusion, our results suggested that miR-130a-3p targeted Acsl4 to promote neuronal differentiation of NSCs via regulating the Akt/PI3K pathway. These findings may help to develop strategies for stem cell-mediated treatment for central nervous system diseases.