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Updated: Jul 9, 2026
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Chemogenetic Regulation in Reprogrammed Stem Cell-derived Precursor Cells in Treating Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: May 2, 2025
Mesenchymal stem cells preserve neuronal architecture by reprogramming miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in experimental
Amrendra Chaudhary1, Indu Sharma1, Reva Sharan Thakur2
1Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India; Division of Immunology, National Institute of Malaria Research, Dwarka, New Delhi, 110077, India.
Acta Tropica
|July 7, 2026
Summary
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) reduce cerebral malaria severity and improve survival by altering microRNA networks. These stem cells reprogram miRNA-mRNA interactions crucial for brain stability, offering potential biomarkers and therapies for cerebral malaria.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Cerebral malaria (CM) causes blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and high mortality.
- Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) show therapeutic promise in experimental CM (ECM), but mechanisms are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how MSC treatment affects host miRNA networks in ECM.
- Identify molecular targets for MSC-based therapies against CM.
Main Methods:
- Used Plasmodium berghei ANKA infection in C57BL/6 mice to model ECM.
- Analyzed miRNA expression via RNA sequencing and RT-qPCR.
- Constructed miRNA-mRNA networks to identify key regulatory genes.
Main Results:
- MSC treatment improved survival, reduced clinical severity, and preserved BBB integrity in ECM mice.
- Identified 64 differentially expressed miRNAs, with 8 consistently downregulated post-MSC treatment.
- Revealed key miRNA-mRNA hubs (e.g., Rora, Nfia, Nfib) linked to CM-relevant neurological phenotypes.
Conclusions:
- MSCs mitigate ECM by reprogramming miRNA-mRNA networks governing cerebral and neuronal stability.
- Identified miRNA-mRNA hubs are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cerebral malaria.
