Figure 6.

miRNAs shuttled by EVs mediate the reduction of astrogliosis and inflammatory cytokines expression in SOD1^G93Aastrocytes. (a–c) Quantitative representation of protein expression as per relative fluorescence intensity with respect to the stable housekeeping protein GAPDH. The quantitative analyses of the relative co-localization intensity of fluorescence correlated with the protein expression level were performed as described in the legend to Figure 2. (a) GFAP, (b) TNF-α and (c) IL-1β expression are significantly increased in untreated or scramble-miRNA-treated SOD1^G93A astrocytes vs. WT astrocytes. The exposure to seven out of nine specific synthetic mimics of miRNAs shuttled by EVs significantly reduces the expression of the GFAP, TNF-α, and IL-1β, indicating a decreased astrocyte reactivity. Data are presented as means ± SEM of n = 3 independent experiments, run in triplicate; statistical significance for p < 0.05 at least (* p < 0.001 vs. WT astrocytes; # p < 0.001 vs. SOD1^G93A astrocytes; § p < 0.001 vs. SOD1^G93A astrocytes + scrambled miRNA; F_(11,24) = 17.967, F_(11,24) = 49.372, F_(11,24) = 38.634, for GFAP, TNF-α, and IL-1β, respectively; one-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni post hoc test).