Silencing microRNA-134 produces neuroprotective and prolonged seizure-suppressive effects

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a common, chronic neurologic disorder characterized by recurrent spontaneous seizures. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate post-transcriptional expression of protein-coding mRNAs, which may have important roles in the pathogenesis of neurologic disorders. In models of prolonged, injurious seizures (status epilepticus) and in experimental and human epilepsy, we found up-regulation of miR-134, a brain-specific, activity-regulated miRNA implicated in the control of dendritic spine morphology. Silencing of miR-134 expression in vivo using antagomirs reduced hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neuron dendrite spine density by 21%, and rendered mice refractory to seizures and hippocampal injury caused by status epilepticus. Depletion of miR-134 after status epilepticus reduced the later occurrence of spontaneous seizures by over 90% and mitigated attendant pathologic features of temporal lobe epilepsy. Thus, silencing miR-134 exerts prolonged seizure suppressant and neuroprotective actions; whether these represent anticonvulsant or truly antiepileptogenic effects requires additional experimentation.