miR-10a-5p and miR-10b-5p restore colonic motility in aged mice

Figure 4 miR-10a-5p mimic and miR-10b-5p mimic rescue gastrointestinal dysmotility in aged mice. A: Experimental design illustrating the intraperitoneal administration of miR-10a-5p or miR-10b-5p mimics in 22-month-old (aged) mice. Mice received a single intraperitoneal injection of either miR-10a-5p or miR-10b-5p mimics at a dosage of 500 ng/g body weight. Subsequent gastrointestinal (GI) functional assessments were conducted at 4 weeks post-injection; B: Duplex sequence and structure of the miR-10a-5p mimic or miR-10b-5p mimic; C: Complex formation of miR-10a-5p or miR-10b-5p mimic duplexes with in vivo-jet PEI; D: Verification of in vivo delivery of in vivo-jet PEI/miR-10a-5p mimic-Cy3 complexes in 8-months old mice. Cy3 fluorescence in the GI tract was assessed at 12-, 24-, and 48-hours post-injections, as well as pre-injection; E and F: Total gastrointestinal transit time and colonic transit time measurements in aged (22 months old) mice injected with the miR-10a-5p mimic (10a), miR-10b-5p mimic (10b), or left untreated [no injection (NI)], compared with young control (2-4 months old) mice. G: Fecal output in aged mice injected with the 10a or 10b mimic, or untreated (NI), compared with young controls. n = 5-6 per group; H-J: Expression levels of miR-10a-5p and miR-10b-5p and KIT in colonic muscle in aged mice injected with the miR-10a-5p mimic (10a), miR-10b-5p mimic (10b), or left untreated (no injection, NI), compared with young control mice (2-4 months old, n = 3). Error bars indicate SEM, 1-way ANOVA. ^aP < 0.05; ^bP < 0.01; ^cP < 0.001; ^dP < 0.0001; TGITT: Total gastrointestinal transit time; CTT: Colonic transit time.