MicroRNA Analysis of Human Stroke Brain Tissue Resected during Decompressive Craniectomy/Stroke-Ectomy Surgery

Authors

Andrew P. Carlson, Department of Neurosurgery, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
William McKay, Department of Neurosurgery, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Jeremy S. Edwards, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Radha Swaminathan, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Karen S. SantaCruz, Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Ron L. Mims, Department of Neurosurgery, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Howard Yonas, Department of Neurosurgery, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Tamara Roitbak, Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-23-2021

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Signaling pathways mediated by microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as one of the mechanisms that regulate stroke progression and recovery. Recent investigations using stroke patient blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) demonstrated disease-specific alterations in miRNA expression. In this study, for the first time, we investigated miRNA expression signatures in freshly removed human stroke brain tissue.

METHODS: Human brain samples were obtained during craniectomy and brain tissue resection in severe stroke patients with life-threatening brain swelling. The tissue samples were subjected to histopathological and immunofluorescence microscopy evaluation, next generation miRNA sequencing (NGS), and bioinformatic analysis.

RESULTS: miRNA NGS analysis detected 34 miRNAs with significantly aberrant expression in stroke tissue, as compared to non-stroke samples. Of these miRNAs, 19 were previously identified in stroke patient blood and CSF, while dysregulation of 15 miRNAs was newly detected in this study. miRNA direct target gene analysis and bioinformatics approach demonstrated a strong association of the identified miRNAs with stroke-related biological processes and signaling pathways.

CONCLUSIONS: Dysregulated miRNAs detected in our study could be regarded as potential candidates for biomarkers and/or targets for therapeutic intervention. The results described herein further our understanding of the molecular basis of stroke and provide valuable information for the future functional studies in the experimental models of stroke.

Recommended Citation

Carlson AP, McKay W, Edwards JS, Swaminathan R, SantaCruz KS, Mims RL, Yonas H, Roitbak T. MicroRNA Analysis of Human Stroke Brain Tissue Resected during Decompressive Craniectomy/Stroke-Ectomy Surgery. Genes (Basel). 2021 Nov 23;12(12):1860. doi: 10.3390/genes12121860. PMID: 34946809; PMCID: PMC8702168.