Unveiling the role of miRNAs from MSC-EVs in neuroinflammation and behavioral impairments induced by chronic alcohol consumption

Extracellular vesicles derived from mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC-EVs) have emerged as a promising form of regenerative and immunomodulatory therapy; indeed, micro (mi)RNAs contained within MSC-EVs modulate target gene expression and impact disease-associated pathways. Chronic alcohol consumption results in neuroinflammation, brain damage, and impaired cognition; in this study, we asked whether the repeated intravenous administration of MSC-EVs could ameliorate neuroinflammation and behavioral impairment induced by chronic alcohol consumption in mice. MSC-EVs diminished the increased binding of a micro-positron emission tomography tracer (18F-FDG) when analyzing whole-brain 3D images and brain coronal sections of ethanol-treated mice. MSC-EV administration protected against ethanol-induced proinflammatory gene upregulation, cognitive dysfunction, and addictive-like behavior. miRNA sequencing data from MSC-EVs helped to reveal the elevated expression of EV-derived miR-483-5p and miR-140-3p in the brains of ethanol-treated mice following MSC-EV administration. In addition, MSC-EVs modulated the expression of pro-inflammatory-related miRNA target genes (e.g., Socs3, Tnf, Mtor, Atf6) in the brains of ethanol-treated mice. These results suggest that MSC-EVs could function as a neuroprotective therapy to ameliorate the neuroinflammation, cognitive dysfunction, and addictive-like behavior associated with chronic alcohol consumption.