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Promising protective potential of MiR-103a-3p against polystyrene microplastic neurotoxicity in rats
Summary
Researchers discovered that a small molecule called miR-103a-3p can protect rat brains from the damage caused by polystyrene microplastics. When injected into the brain, miR-103a-3p reversed the learning and memory problems caused by microplastic exposure by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, and cell death in the hippocampus. This finding points toward potential therapeutic strategies for counteracting the brain-damaging effects of microplastic exposure.
Introduction: Microplastics are ubiquitous environmental pollutants with potential neurotoxic effects that can impair learning and memory. MicroRNAs are essential regulators of a number of physiological and pathological processes, but detailed information on the impact of miRNAs on the neurotoxic effects of microplastics is lacking. Methods: In the present study, polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) were administered orally and miR-103a-3p was injected intracerebroventricularly as a treatment for PS-MPs-induced neurotoxicity. Results and Discussion: Performance in the novel object discrimination Y-maze and Barnes maze tests indicated that miR-103a-3p mitigates the deleterious effects of PS-MPs on learning and memory. Oxidative stress, pyroptosis, apoptosis and inflammation induced by PS-MPs were modulated after miR- 103a-3p injection by reducing malondialdehyde, protein carbonyl, nitrite, caspase 3, caspase 1, TNFα, and NLRP3 levels in hippocampal tissue. Our results also showed that miR-103a-3p can reverse the impact of PS-MPs on astrocytic reaction and SIRT1 and BDNF levels. MiR-103a-3p alleviated PS-MPs-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress through reducing the levels of PERK, CHOP and GRP78. These findings imply that miR-103a-3p exerts a neuroprotective influence against cognitive deficits induced by exposure to PS-MPs. This is achieved by reducing inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress.