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Fig. 1 | Journal of Neuroinflammation

Fig. 1

From: Potential of activated microglia as a source of dysregulated extracellular microRNAs contributing to neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Fig. 1

Different routes via which microglia-derived miRNAs could affect gene expression in neurons. Of these different mechanisms, transfer via extracellular vesicles (represented by a circle; a) is the best characterised transfer route between microglia and neurons. This has been shown through let-7b binding to TLR7 receptors (blue) within endosomes (double line circle) to cause neurodegeneration, miR-146-5p binding to target genes in hippocampal rat neurons to alter synaptic excitability properties, and miR-124-3p inhibiting mTOR signalling and activating a neuronal inflammation phenotype. Alternatively, miRNAs could affect gene expression in neurons through interactions with high-density lipoproteins (HDL; hexagon; b). These miRNAs released by microglia bound to proteins in HDL particles are endocytosed into the cell when binding to HDL receptors (orange) on neurons. These miRNAs are then released and regulate target genes. Alternatively, miRNAs could be directly transferred between microglia and motor neurons through gap junctions (green; c) where the two cell types are directly connected through a channel

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