MiR-186-5p inhibition restores synaptic transmission and neuronal network activity in a model of chronic stress

Abstract Chronic stress exerts profound negative effects on cognitive and emotional behaviours and is a major risk factor for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the molecular links between chronic stress and its deleterious effects on neuronal and synaptic function remain elusive. Here, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, we demonstrate that the upregulation of miR-186-5p triggered by chronic stress may be a key mediator of such changes, leading to synaptic dysfunction. Our results show that the expression levels of miR-186-5p are increased both in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice exposed to chronic stress and in cortical neurons chronically exposed to dexamethasone. Additionally, viral overexpression of miR-186-5p in the PFC of naïve mice induces anxiety- and depressive-like behaviours. The upregulation of miR-186-5p through prolonged glucocorticoid receptor activation differentially affects glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission, causing an imbalance in excitation/inhibition and leading to altered neuronal network activity. At glutamatergic synapses, we observed both a reduction in synaptic AMPAR and synaptic transmission, along with a switch in their subunit composition, whereas GABAergic synaptic transmission was strengthened. These changes could be rescued by a miR-186-5p inhibitor. Overall, our results establish a novel molecular link between chronic glucocorticoid receptor activation, the upregulation of miR-186-5p and the synaptic changes induced by chronic stress, that may be amenable to therapeutic intervention.