Fig. 8.
MiR-124 improves functional recovery after stroke. Behavioral functional test was evaluated by the modified neurological deficit scores (mNDS) before and after MCAO. Representative graphs of the experimental groups subjected to miR transplantation at 2 days after MCAO and perfused at day 6 (a) and day 14, respectively (b) show that miR-124 treatment at 2 days after MCAO significantly improved the functional recovery at day 4 and day 6 after stroke. Representative graphs of the experimental group subjected to miR transplantation at day 10 after MCAO with perfusion at day 14 (c) show no significant differences among the miR-124 treated group and only MCAO group. n = 5–6 mice in each group and for each time point. Values are mean ± SD. *P < 0.05, as compared with control groups using Kruskal-Wallis H test for (a) and (b), and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test for (c). Changes of M1 expression within the ischemic hemisphere linearly correlates with neurological deficit score changes in the ischemic mice (Spearman r2 = 0.530, p = 0.017) (d). Changes of M2 expression within the ischemic hemisphere inversely correlates to neurological deficit score changes in the ischemic mice (Spearman r2 = 0.425, p = 0.041) (e)