Small Extracellular Vesicles Released from miR-211-5p-Overexpressed Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Spinal Cord Injuries in Rats

Abstract

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has become one of the common and serious diseases affecting patients’ motor functions. The small extracellular vesicles secreted by bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have shown a promising prospect for the treatment of neurological diseases. BMSCs were collected from rat bones. Osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs was further determined. Small extracellular vesicles were obtained by high-speed centrifugation. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to demonstrate the targeting of miR-211-5p to the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) mRNA. qRT-PCR and Western blot assay were used for the detection of the mRNA and protein expression. ELISA was performed to estimate the levels of proinflammatory factors in spinal cord tissues. Our results showed that miR-211-5p targeted COX2 mRNA and regulated the protein expression of COX2 in BMSCs. Extracellular vesicles released from miR-211-5p-overexpressed BMSCs ameliorated SCI-induced motor dysfunction and motor evoked potential impairments. Extracellular vesicles released from miR-211-5p-overexpressed BMSCs ameliorated SCI-induced COX2 expression and related inflammatory responses. In conclusion, small extracellular vesicles released from miR-211-5p-overexpressed BMSCs ameliorate spinal cord injuries in rats.