A new study by Thomaidou and colleagues published in Stem Cell Reports (21 March 2023) reveals miR-124 instructs the reprogramming switch of astrocytes towards an immature neuronal fate, by targeting the RNA-binding protein Zfp36l1 and subsequently de-repressing Zfp36l1 neurogenic interactome. The study also shows that miR-124 is potent to guide direct conversion of astrocytes to immature iNs in vivo following cortical trauma, while supplementation with the neurogenic molecule ISX9 enhances iNs’ survival.
Papadimitriou E, Koutsoudaki PN, Thanou I,Karagkouni D, Karamitros T, Chroni-Tzartou D, Gaitanou M Gkemisis C, Margariti M, Xingi I, Tzartos S, Hatzigeorgiou A, Thomaidou D (2023) A miR-124-mediated post-transcriptional mechanism controlling the cell fate switch of astrocytes to induced-neurons. Stem Cell Reports doi: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.02.009