biostudies-literaturePulcrano SHHS | NIH | National Institute of Mental HealthTelethonNINDS NIH HHSMinistero dell'Università e della Ricerca8104-8125https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10697421biostudies-literatureUnknown43(48)In the brain, microRNAs (miRNAs) are believed to play a role in orchestrating synaptic plasticity at a higher level by acting as an additional mechanism of translational regulation, alongside the mRNA/polysome system. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the specific contribution of individual miRNA to the function of dopaminergic neurons (DAn) remains limited. By performing a dopaminergic-specific miRNA screening, we have identified miR-218 as a critical regulator of DAn activity in male and female mice. We have found that miR-218 is specifically expressed in mesencephalic DAn and is able to promote dopaminergic differentiation of embryonic stem cells and functional maturation of transdifferentiated induced DA neurons. Midbrain-specific deletion of both genes encoding for miR-The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for NeurosciencemiR-218 Promotes Dopaminergic Differentiation and Controls Neuron Excitability and Neurotransmitter Release through the Regulation of a Synaptic-Related Genes Network.PMC10697421R01 NS119690R01NS119690TMDMMFU22TTPRIN 2017T9JNLT_004Speranza LVolpicelli FGuatteo EPulcrano SDe Gregorio RPerrone-Capano CPiscitelli RMGiacomet CMercuri NBDe Sanctis CMartini AAwatramani RFederici Mdi Porzio UCaiazzo MMedina DBellenchi GCViggiano DfalsemiR-218 Promotes Dopaminergic Differentiation and Controls Neuron Excitability and Neurotransmitter Release through the Regulation of a Synaptic-Related Genes Network.In the brain, microRNAs (miRNAs) are believed to play a role in orchestrating synaptic plasticity at a higher level by acting as an additional mechanism of translational regulation, alongside the mRNA/polysome system. Despite extensive research, our understanding of the specific contribution of individual miRNA to the function of dopaminergic neurons (DAn) remains limited. By performing a dopaminergic-specific miRNA screening, we have identified miR-218 as a critical regulator of DAn activity in male and female mice. We have found that miR-218 is specifically expressed in mesencephalic DAn and is able to promote dopaminergic differentiation of embryonic stem cells and functional maturation of transdifferentiated induced DA neurons. Midbrain-specific deletion of both genes encoding for miR-2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Nov2026-05-23T03:15:22.712Z2026-05-23T03:08:06.248ZS-EPMC106974213781659810.1523/jneurosci.0431-23.202310.1523/JNEUROSCI.0431-23.2023