MiR-448 promotes vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration in through directly targeting MEF2C

MicroRNAs in vascular smooth muscle cells: Mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and advances in delivery systems

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are essential players in a wide range of physiological processes, and their phenotypic transitions are critical in the development of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis (AS), restenosis, aortic dissection/aneurysm (AAD), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and diabetes mellitus (DM). MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short non-coding RNAs, regulates key cellular functions like proliferation, migration, and apoptosis by modulating gene expression. Numerous studies have shown that various miRNAs play pivotal roles in the pathophysiological processes of VSMCs, with VSMC phenotype switching being a key factor. To harness miRNAs as therapeutic tools, researchers have focused on developing efficient delivery vectors, including exosomes, nanoparticles, and viral vectors. Recently, the exploration of miRNA characteristics and delivery mechanisms has led to the emergence of innovative systems, such as scaffold-based localized delivery methods, platelet-like fusion lipid nanoparticles(PLPs), liposome-exosome hybrid carriers, and stimulus-responsive delivery systems like miRNA micelles. These cutting-edge delivery systems not only enhance our understanding of miRNA's role in disease but also offer promising new strategies for gene therapy, paving the way for more precise and effective treatments in the future.

MEF2C Directly Interacts with Pre-miRNAs and Distinct RNPs to Post-Transcriptionally Regulate miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 microRNA Cluster Member Expression

Transcriptional regulation constitutes a key step in gene expression regulation. Myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) is a transcription factor of the MADS box family involved in the early development of several cell types, including muscle cells. Over the last decade, a novel layer of complexity modulating gene regulation has emerged as non-coding RNAs have been identified, impacting both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. microRNAs represent the most studied and abundantly expressed subtype of small non-coding RNAs, and their functional roles have been widely documented. On the other hand, our knowledge of the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that drive microRNA expression is still incipient. We recently demonstrated that MEF2C is able to transactivate the long, but not short, regulatory element upstream of the miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 transcriptional start site. However, MEF2C over-expression and silencing, respectively, displayed distinct effects on each of the miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 mature cluster members without affecting pri-miRNA expression levels, thus supporting additional MEF2C-driven regulatory mechanisms. Within this study, we demonstrated a complex post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism directed by MEF2C in the regulation of miR-23a-miR-27a-miR-24-2 cluster members, distinctly involving different domains of the MEF2C transcription factor and the physical interaction with pre-miRNAs and Ksrp, HnRNPa3 and Ddx17 transcripts.

Targeting Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Senescence: A Novel Strategy for Vascular Diseases

Vascular diseases are a major threat to human health, characterized by high rates of morbidity, mortality, and disability. VSMC senescence contributes to dramatic changes in vascular morphology, structure, and function. A growing number of studies suggest that VSMC senescence is an important pathophysiological mechanism for the development of vascular diseases, including pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerosis, aneurysm, and hypertension. This review summarizes the important role of VSMC senescence and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) secreted by senescent VSMCs in the pathophysiological process of vascular diseases. Meanwhile, it concludes the progress of antisenescence therapy targeting VSMC senescence or SASP, which provides new strategies for the prevention and treatment of vascular diseases.

Role of MEF2C in the Endothelial Cells Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) not only provide an abundant source of vascular cells for potential therapeutic applications in vascular disease but also constitute an excellent model for understanding the mechanisms that regulate the differentiation and the functionality of vascular cells. Here, we reported that myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) transcription factor, but not any other members of the MEF2 family, was robustly upregulated during the differentiation of vascular progenitors and endothelial cells (ECs) from hiPSCs. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) strongly induced MEF2C expression in endothelial lineage cells. The specific upregulation of MEF2C during the commitment of endothelial lineage was dependent on the extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK). Moreover, knockdown of MEF2C with shRNA in hiPSCs did not affect the differentiation of ECs from these hiPSCs, but greatly reduced the migration and tube formation capacity of the hiPSC-derived ECs. Through a chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing, genome-wide RNA-sequencing, quantitative RT-PCR, and immunostaining analyses of the hiPSC-derived endothelial lineage cells with MEF2C inhibition or knockdown compared to control hiPSC-derived ECs, we identified TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and transmembrane protein 100 (TMEM100) as novel targets of MEF2C. This study demonstrates an important role for MEF2C in regulating human EC functions and highlights MEF2C and its downstream effectors as potential targets to treat vascular malfunction-associated diseases.

The role of miRNAs in insulin resistance and diabetic macrovascular complications - A review

Diabetes is the most prevalent metabolic disturbance disease and has been regarded globally as one of the principal causes of mortality. Diabetes is accompanied by several macrovascular complications, including stroke, coronary artery disease (CAD), and cardiomyopathy as a consequence of atherosclerosis. The onset of type 2 diabetes is closely related to insulin resistance (IR). miRNAs have been linked to various metabolic processes, including glucose homeostasis, regulation of lipid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, adipogenesis, glucose transporter type 4 expression, insulin sensitivity, and signaling. Consequently, miRNA dysregulation mediates IR in some target organs, comprising liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Moreover, miRNAs are crucial in developing diabetes and its associated macrovascular complications through their roles in several signaling pathways implicated in inflammation, apoptosis, cellular survival and migration, the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells, neurogenesis, angiogenesis, autophagy, oxidative stress, cardiac remodeling, and fibrosis. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to clarify the role of miRNAs in hepatic, muscle, and adipose tissue IR and explain their roles in the pathogenesis of macrovascular diabetic complications, including stroke, CAD, and cardiomyopathy. Also, explain their roles in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Besides, this review discusses the latest updates on the alteration of miRNA expression in diabetic macrovascular complications.

Transcription factors: key regulatory targets of vascular smooth muscle cell in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis (AS), leading to gradual occlusion of the arterial lumen, refers to the accumulation of lipids and inflammatory debris in the arterial wall. Despite therapeutic advances over past decades including intervention or surgery, atherosclerosis is still the most common cause of cardiovascular diseases and the main mechanism of death and disability worldwide. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play an imperative role in the occurrence of atherosclerosis and throughout the whole stages. In the past, there was a lack of comprehensive understanding of VSMCs, but the development of identification technology, including in vivo single-cell sequencing technology and lineage tracing with the CreERT2-loxP system, suggests that VSMCs have remarkable plasticity and reevaluates well-established concepts about the contribution of VSMCs. Transcription factors, a kind of protein molecule that specifically recognizes and binds DNA upstream promoter regions or distal enhancer DNA elements, play a key role in the transcription initiation of the coding genes and are necessary for RNA polymerase to bind gene promoters. In this review, we highlight that, except for environmental factors, VSMC genes are transcriptionally regulated through complex interactions of multiple conserved cis-regulatory elements and transcription factors. In addition, through a series of transcription-related regulatory processes, VSMCs could undergo phenotypic transformation, proliferation, migration, calcification and apoptosis. Finally, enhancing or inhibiting transcription factors can regulate the development of atherosclerotic lesions, and the downstream molecular mechanism of transcriptional regulation has also been widely studied.

Tribulus terrestris L. extract ameliorates atherosclerosis by inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in ApoE-/- mice and A7r5 cells via suppression of Akt/MEK/ERK signaling

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Atherosclerosis (AS) is one of major threatens of death worldwide, and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is an important characteristic in the progression of AS. Tribulus terrestris L. is a well-known Chinese Materia Medica for treating skin pruritus, vertigo and cardiovascular diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. However, its anti-AS activity and inhibition effect on VSMC proliferation are not fully elucidated.

AIMS

We hypothesize that the furostanol saponins enriched extract (FSEE) of T. terrestris L. presents anti-AS effect by inhibition of VSMC proliferation. The molecular action mechanism underlying the anti-VSMC proliferation effect of FSEE is also investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Apolipoprotein-E deficient (ApoE^-/-) mice and rat thoracic smooth muscle cell A7r5 were employed as the in vivo and in vitro models respectively to evaluate the anti- AS and VSMC proliferation effects of FSEE. In ApoE^-/- mice, the amounts of total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein in serum were measured by commercially available kits. The size of atherosclerotic plaque was observed by hematoxylin & eosin staining. The protein expressions of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and osteopontin (OPN) in the plaque were examined by immunohistochemistry. In A7r5 cells, the cell viability and proliferation were tested by MTT and Real Time Cell Analysis assays. The cell migration was evaluated by wound healing assay. Propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle progression. The expression of intracellular total and phosphorylated proteins including protein kinase B (Akt) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), such as mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), were detected by western blotting analysis.

RESULTS

FSEE significantly reduced the area of atherosclerotic plaque in high-fat diet-fed ApoE^-/- mice. And FSEE increased the protein expression level of α-SMA and decreased the level of OPN in atherosclerotic plaque, which revealed the inhibition of VSMC phenotype switching and proliferation. In A7r5 cells, FSEE suppressed fetal bovine serum (FBS) or oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL)-triggered VSMC proliferation and migration in a concentration dependent manner. FSEE protected against the elevation of cell numbers in S phase induced by FBS or oxLDL and the reduction of cell numbers in G₀/G₁ phase induced by oxLDL. Moreover, the phosphorylation of Akt and MAPKs including MEK, ERK and JNK could be facilitated by FBS or oxLDL, while co-treatment of FSEE attenuated the phosphorylation of Akt induced by oxLDL as well as the phosphorylation of MEK and ERK induced by FBS. In addition, (25R)-terrestrinin B (JL-6), which was the main ingredient of FSEE, and its potential active pharmaceutical ingredients tigogenin (Tigo) and hecogenin (Heco) also significantly attenuated FBS or oxLDL-induced VSMC proliferation in A7r5 cells.

CONCLUSION

FSEE presents potent anti- AS and VSMC proliferation activities and the underlying mechanism is likely to the suppression of Akt/MEK/ERK signaling. The active components of FSEE are JL-6 and its potential active pharmaceutical ingredients Tigo and Heco. So, FSEE and its active compounds may be potential therapeutic drug candidates for AS.

HMG20A Inhibit Adipogenesis by Transcriptional and Epigenetic Regulation of MEF2C Expression

Obesity and its associated metabolic disease do serious harm to human health. The transcriptional cascade network with transcription factors as the core is the focus of current research on adipogenesis and its mechanism. Previous studies have found that HMG domain protein 20A (HMG20A) is highly expressed in the early stage of adipogenic differentiation of porcine intramuscular fat (IMF), which may be involved in regulating adipogenesis. In this study, HMG20A was found to play a key negative regulatory role in adipogenesis. Gain- and loss-of-function studies revealed that HMG20A inhibited the differentiation of SVF cells and C3H10T1/2 cells into mature adipocytes. RNA-seq was used to screen differentially expressed genes after HMG20A knockdown. qRT-PCR and ChIP-PCR confirmed that MEF2C was the real target of HMG20A, and HMG20A played a negative regulatory role through MEF2C. HMG20A binding protein LSD1 was found to alleviate the inhibitory effect of HMG20A on adipogenesis. Further studies showed that HMG20A could cooperate with LSD1 to increase the H3K4me2 of the MEF2C promoter and then increase the expression of MEF2C. Collectively, these findings highlight a role for HMG20A-dependent transcriptional and epigenetic regulation in adipogenesis.

Pathogenic role of microRNAs in atherosclerotic ischemic stroke: Implications for diagnosis and therapy

Ischemic stroke resulting from atherosclerosis (particularly in the carotid artery) is one of the major subtypes of stroke and has a high incidence of death. Disordered lipid homeostasis, lipid deposition, local macrophage infiltration, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and plaque rupture are the main pathological processes of atherosclerotic ischemic stroke. Hepatocytes, macrophages, endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells are the main cell types participating in these processes. By inhibiting the expression of the target genes in these cells, microRNAs play a key role in regulating lipid disorders and atherosclerotic ischemic stroke. In this article, we listed the microRNAs implicated in the pathology of atherosclerotic ischemic stroke and aimed to explain their pro- or antiatherosclerotic roles. Our article provides an update on the potential diagnostic use of miRNAs for detecting growing plaques and impending clinical events. Finally, we provide a perspective on the therapeutic use of local microRNA delivery and discuss the challenges for this potential therapy.

Differentially expressed mRNAs and their upstream miR-491-5p in patients with coronary atherosclerosis as well as the function of miR-491-5p in vascular smooth muscle cells

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression and are biomarkers for coronary atherosclerosis (AS). A novel miRNA-mRNA regulation network of coronary AS still needs to be disclosed. The aim of this study was to analyze potential mRNAs in coronary AS patients and the role of their upstream miR-491-5p in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We first confirmed top ten mRNAs according to the analysis from Gene Expression Omnibus database (GSE132651) and examined the expression levels of them in the plaques and serum from AS patients. Five mRNAs (UBE2G2, SLC16A3, POLR2C, PNO1, and AMDHD2) presented significantly abnormal expression in both plaques and serum from AS patients, compared with that in the control groups. Subsequently, they were predicted to be targeted by 11 miRNAs by bioinformatics analysis. Among all the potential upstream miRNAs, only miR-491-5p was abnormally expressed in the plaques and serum from AS patients. Notably, miR-491-5p overexpression inhibited viability and migration, and significantly increased the expression of contractile markers (α-SMA, calponin, SM22α, and smoothelin) in VSMCs. While silencing miR-491-5p promoted viability and migration, and significantly suppressed the expression of α-SMA, calponin, SM22α, and smoothelin. Overall, miR-491-5p targeted UBE2G2, SLC16A3, and PNO1 and regulated the dysfunctions in VSMCs.

Interplay Between Non-Coding RNAs and Programmed Cell Death Proteins

Programmed cell death (PDCD) family of proteins includes at least 12 members, function of seven of them being more investigated. These members are PDCD1, PDCD2, PDCD4, PDCD5, PDCD6, PDCD7 and PDCD10. Consistent with the important roles of these proteins in the regulation of apoptosis, dysregulation of PDCDs is associated with diverse disorders ranging from intervertebral disc degeneration, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, immune thrombocytopenia, type 1 diabetes, congenital hypothyroidism, Alzheimer’s disease to different types of cancers. More recently, the interaction between non-coding RNAs and different members of PDCD family is being discovered. In the current study, we described the functional interactions between PDCDs and two classes of non-coding RNAs, namely microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). miR-21 and miR-183 are two miRNAs whose interactions with PDCDs have been assessed in different contexts. The lncRNAs interaction with PDCDs is mainly assessed in the context of neoplasia indicating the role of MALAT1, MEG3, SNHG14 and LINC00473 in this process.

Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Molecular Determinants during Cardiogenesis

Cardiovascular development is initiated soon after gastrulation as bilateral precardiac mesoderm is progressively symmetrically determined at both sides of the developing embryo. The precardiac mesoderm subsequently fused at the embryonic midline constituting an embryonic linear heart tube. As development progress, the embryonic heart displays the first sign of left-right asymmetric morphology by the invariably rightward looping of the initial heart tube and prospective embryonic ventricular and atrial chambers emerged. As cardiac development progresses, the atrial and ventricular chambers enlarged and distinct left and right compartments emerge as consequence of the formation of the interatrial and interventricular septa, respectively. The last steps of cardiac morphogenesis are represented by the completion of atrial and ventricular septation, resulting in the configuration of a double circuitry with distinct systemic and pulmonary chambers, each of them with distinct inlets and outlets connections. Over the last decade, our understanding of the contribution of multiple growth factor signaling cascades such as Tgf-beta, Bmp and Wnt signaling as well as of transcriptional regulators to cardiac morphogenesis have greatly enlarged. Recently, a novel layer of complexity has emerged with the discovery of non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs and lncRNAs. Herein, we provide a state-of-the-art review of the contribution of non-coding RNAs during cardiac development. microRNAs and lncRNAs have been reported to functional modulate all stages of cardiac morphogenesis, spanning from lateral plate mesoderm formation to outflow tract septation, by modulating major growth factor signaling pathways as well as those transcriptional regulators involved in cardiac development.

MicroRNA-199a-3p Exhibits Beneficial Effects in Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis by Inhibiting Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Migration

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a serious healthy burden worldwide, it occurs accompany with the disfunction of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). MicroRNAs play pivotal role in the pathogenesis of various diseases. This study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical value of miR-199a-3p in patients with asymptomatic AS, and further explore its regulatory role on VSMCs biological function. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to estimate the expression of miR-199a-3p. Correlation of miR-199a-3p with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) was evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficient. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-199a-3p. Effects of miR-199a-3p on cell proliferation and migration in VSMCs were analyzed using cell-counting method and Transwell assay. Luciferase reporter assay was performed for the target gene analysis. Serum expression of miR-199a-3p was decreased in asymptomatic AS patients compared with the healthy controls. The negative correlations of miR-199a-3p with CIMT and CRP were obtained. The decreased miR-199a-3p was proved to have diagnostic accuracy with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.912, and was an independent predictor for the occurrence of asymptomatic AS. In VSMCs, overexpression of miR-199a-3p led to inhibited cell proliferation and migration, while the knockdown of miR-199a-3p resulted in the opposite results. SP1 was proved to be the target gene of miR-199a-3p. Taken together, downregulated expression of miR-199a-3p is a candidate diagnostic biomarker in the patients with asymptomatic AS. Overexpression of miR-199a-3p exists suppressive effects on VSMC proliferation and migration, indicating that miR-199a-3p may be a potential therapeutic target for AS treatment.

miRNAs through β-ARR2/p-ERK1/2 pathway regulate the VSMC proliferation and migration

BACKGROUND

miRNAs are involved in plaque formation of atherosclerosis and vessel restenosis. In this study, we investigated the effects of miR-599, miR-204, and miR-181b on VSMC proliferation, and migration through TGFβ receptor 2 (TGFβR2), β-arrestin 2 (β-ARR2), SMAD2/p-SMAD2, and ERK1/2/p-ERK1/2.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Genes and miRNAs were predicted by bioinformatics tools and were transfected by PEI-miRNAs (miR-599, miR-204, and miR-181b) complexes into VSMCs. The gene and protein expression levels were evaluated by real-time RT-PCR and western blotting techniques, respectively. The VSMC proliferation and migration were studied by MTT and scratch assay, respectively.

RESULTS

The miR-181b and miR-204 downregulated significantly β-ARR2 gene and protein expression levels and p-ERK1/2 values. Moreover, TGFβR2 gene and protein expression levels and p-SMAD2 values were not significantly affected by miR-181b and miR-204. The VSMC proliferation (p = 0.0019, p = 0.0054, respectively) and migration (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, respectively) were inhibited by the miR-181b and miR-204. The miR-599 inhibited VSMC proliferation (p = 0.044) and migration (p = 0.0055) but it did not affect significantly the β-ARR2 and TGFβR2 gene and protein expression levels.

CONCLUSION

The results suggested that the inhibitory effects of miR-181b and miR-204 on VSMC proliferation and migration are mediated by the β-ARR2/p-ERK1/2 pathway. Since VSMC proliferation and migration are involved in plaque growth, therefore this pathway can be a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.

MiR-506-3p Promotes the Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells via Targeting KLF4

BACKGROUND

The dysregulation of proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is one of the major causes of atherosclerosis (AS). Accumulating studies confirm that Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of VSMCs through multiple signaling pathways. However, the mechanism of KLF4 dysregulation remains unknown.

METHODS

Apolipoprotein E-knockout (ApoE-/-) mice and human VSMCs were used to establish AS animal model and cell model, respectively. qRT-PCR was employed to determine the expressions of miR-506-3p and KLF4. Cell Counting Kit -8, Transwell, TUNEL assays, and flow cytometry were performed to measure the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of VSMCs. The upstream miRNAs of KLF4 were predicted by microT, miRanda, miRmap, and TargetScan databases. The interaction between KLF4 and miR-506-3p was confirmed using qRT-PCR, Western blot, and luciferase reporter gene assay.

RESULTS

KLF4 expression was significantly decreased in the VSMCs of ApoE-/- mice fed with high-fat diet and in human VSMCs treated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein in time-dependent and dose-dependent manners. The transfection of miR-506-3p mimics or KLF4 shRNA promoted the proliferation and migration of VSMCs but inhibited the apoptosis while miR-506-3p inhibitors and pcDNA3.1-KLF4 exerted opposite effects. Additionally, KLF4 was confirmed as a target gene of miR-506-3p and could be negatively regulated by miR-506-3p.

CONCLUSION

MiR-506-3p can promote the proliferation and migration of VSMCs via targeting KLF4, which can probably contribute to the pathogenesis of AS.

Role of MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the main reason of cardiovascular mortalities worldwide. This condition is resulted from atherosclerotic occlusion of coronary arteries. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in the regulation of proliferation and apoptosis of endothelial cells, induction of immune responses and different stages of plaque formation. Up-regulation of miR-92a-3p, miR-206, miR-216a, miR-574-5p, miR-23a, miR-499, miR-451, miR-21, miR-146a, and a number of other miRNAs has been reported in CAD patients. In contrast, miR-20, miR-107, miR-330, miR-383-3p, miR-939, miR-4306, miR-181a-5p, miR-218, miR-376a-3p, and miR-3614 are among down-regulated miRNAs in CAD. Differential expression of miRNAs in CAD patients has been exploited to design diagnostic or prognostic panels for evaluation of CAD patients. We appraise the recent knowledge about the role of miRNAs in the development of diverse clinical subtypes of CAD.

PRDM16 Upregulation Induced by MicroRNA-448 Inhibition Alleviates Atherosclerosis via the TGF-β Signaling Pathway Inactivation

The dysregulated expression of microRNAs (miRs) has been associated with pathological and physiological processes of atherosclerosis (AS). In addition, PR domain-containing 16 (PRDM16), a transcriptional mediator of brown fat cell identity and smooth muscle cell activities, may be involved in the hypercholesterolemia during development of AS. The bioinformatic analysis identified a regulatory miR-448 of PRDM16. Hence, the current study aimed to explore whether miR-448 influenced the activities of aortic smooth muscle cell (ASMCs) in AS. We validated that miR-448 was highly expressed in peripheral blood of patients with AS and aortic smooth muscle of AS model mice. Whereas, PRDM16 was downregulated in the aortic smooth muscle of AS model mice. PRDM16 overexpression was observed to inhibit oxidative stress injury and cell proliferation, and promote apoptosis of ASMCs. Mechanistic studies revealed that miR-448 targeted PRDM16 and negatively regulated the PRDM16 expression, while PRDM16 blocked the TGF-β signaling pathway. Furthermore, Downregulated miR-448 alleviated oxidative stress injury, and attenuated ASMC cell proliferation, migration and enhanced cell apoptosis through upregulation of PRDM16. Taken together, silencing of miR-448 upregulates PRDM16 and inactivates the TGF-β signaling pathway, thereby impeding development of AS by repressing the proliferation, migration and invasion of ASMCs.

Diagnostic value of miR-92a in asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis patients and its ability to predict cerebrovascular events

Background

Early diagnosis of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (ACAS) is important to prevent the incidence of cerebrovascular events. This study aimed to investigate the circulating expression of microRNA-92a (miR-92a) in ACAS patients and evaluate its diagnostic value for ACAS and predictive value for cerebrovascular events.

Methods

Circulating expression of miR-92a was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Chi-square test was used to analyze the association of miR-92a with ACAS patients’ clinical characteristics. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-92a, and the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used to assess the predictive value of miR-92a for cerebrovascular events.

Results

Serum expression of miR-92a was higher in ACAS patients than that in the healthy controls (P <  0.001), and associated with patients’ degree of carotid stenosis (P = 0.013). The elevated miR-92a expression could distinguish ACAS patients from healthy individual, and was an independent predictive factor for the occurrence of cerebrovascular events (P = 0.015).

Conclusion

The data from this study indicated that circulating increased miR-92a may serve as a noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for ACAS and a potential risk factor for the future onset of cerebrovascular events.

MicroRNA-532-5p protects against atherosclerosis through inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration

Background

The present study aimed to explore the expression and clinical value of miR-532-5p in atherosclerosis (AS) patients, and analyze its regulating effect on biological behaviors of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Methods

A total of 103 AS patients and 77 healthy controls were included. The expression level of miR-532-5p was measured using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was counted to assess the diagnostic value of miR-532-5p in AS. CCK-8 and Transwell assay were used to detect the role of miR-532-5p in VSMCs proliferation and migration.

Results

MiR-532-5p was downregulated in AS patients compared with that in healthy controls. Serum miR-532-5p was inversely related to the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in AS patients. A ROC curve was conducted with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.897, with high sensitivity and specificity. Overexpression of miR-532-5p inhibited cell proliferation and migration in VSMCs, whereas miR-532-5p downregulation had a reverse effect.

Conclusions

Decreased expression of miR-532-5p might be a potential diagnostic biomarker for AS. Overexpression of miR-532-5p inhibits the proliferation and migration of VSMCs. The present results indicate a therapeutic potential of miR-532-5p for AS.

STAT1 and its related molecules as potential biomarkers in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Tuberculosis (TB) is a severe infectious disease that seriously endangers human health. The immune defence mechanism of the body against TB is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to find the key molecules involved in the immune defence response during TB infection, and provide reference for the treatment of TB and further understanding of the immune defence mechanism of the body. Data from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE83456 were downloaded from GEO data sets for analysis, and a total of 192 differentially expressed genes were screened out. Most of these genes are enriched in the interferon signalling pathway and are defence response–related. We also found that STAT1 plays an important role in the immune defence of TB infection and it is one of the key genes related to interferon signalling pathway. STAT1‐related molecules including hsa‐miR‐448, hsa‐miR‐223‐3p, SAMD8_hsa_circRNA 994 and TWF1_hsa_circRNA 9897 were therefore screened out. Furthermore, expression levels of hsa‐miR‐448 and hsa‐miR‐223‐3p were then verified by qRT‐PCR. Results showed that both hsa‐miR‐448 and hsa‐miR‐223‐3p were down‐regulated in plasma from patients with pulmonary TB. Taken together, our data indicate that an mRNA‐miRNA‐circRNA interaction chain may play an important role in the infection of MTB, and STAT1 and related molecules including hsa‐miR‐223‐3p, has‐miR‐448, SAMD8_hsa_circRNA994 and TWF1_hsa_circRNA9897 were identified as potential biomarkers in the development of active TB.

Knockdown of Linc00052 alleviated spinal nerve ligation-triggered neuropathic pain through regulating miR-448 and JAK1

The dysfunction of the nervous system contributes to neuropathic pain. Long noncoding RNAs are reported to participate in neuropathic pain. Recently, Linc00052 is implicated to be closely associated with multiple diseases. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of Linc00052 remain barely explored in neuropathic pain development. Currently, spinal nerve ligation (SNL) triggered neuropathic pain was employed in our investigation. Here, we assessed the function of Linc00052 in SNL rat models. Interestingly, we reported Linc00052 was significantly elevated in SNL rats. Loss of Linc00052 could reduce neuropathic pain progression via regulating the behaviors of neuropathic pain. Additionally, knockdown of Linc00052 repressed the processes of neuroinflammation. Interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor α level were inhibited while IL-10 was induced by the silence of Linc00052. Moreover, we predicted miR-448 can serve as a target of Linc00052. miR-448 exerts a crucial power in several diseases. Currently, we exhibited miR-448 was remarkably downregulated in SNL rats. RNA immunoprecipitation experiments validated the association between miR-448 and Linc00052. Inhibition of Linc00052 could reverse the roles of miR-448 on neuropathic pain development. Furthermore, Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) was displayed as the putative target of miR-448 in the present investigation. It was showed that JAK1 was induced in SNL rats. Loss of miR-448 could dramatically induce the expression of JAK1, which was rescued by knockdown of Linc00052. Taken these together, our study implied that Linc00052 functioned as a novel target of neuropathic pain via sponging miR-448 and regulating JAK1.

MiR-638 Repressed Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Glycolysis by Targeting LDHA

Background

Abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) accelerated vascular diseases progression, like atherosclerosis and restenosis. MicroRNAs were reported to participate in modulating diverse cellular processes. Here, we focused on exploring the role of miR-638 in VSMCs glycolysis and underlying mechanism.

Methods

Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to measure cell viability. Western blot assay was conducted to determine the expression of cell proliferation markers proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki-67, as well as Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA). VSMCs migration and invasion were evaluated by Transwell assay. Luciferase reporter gene assay and RNA immunoprecipitation were performed to validate the target relationship between miR-638 and LDHA. LDHA and miR-638 expression were also determined. Glycolysis of VSMCs was tested by corresponding Kits.

Results

Platelet-derived growth factor-bb (PDGF-bb) promoted the VSMCs viability and down-regulated miR-638. Overexpression of miR-638 inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion of VSMCs. LDHA was identified as a target of miR-638, and counter-regulated by miR-638. Loss of miR-638 attenuated the suppressor effects on the proliferation, migration and invasion of VSMCs induced by LDHA down-regulation. MiR-638 inhibited the glycolysis of VSMCs by targeting LDHA.

Conclusion

MiR-638 is down-regulated by PDGF-bb treatment and suppressed the glycolysis of VSMCs via targeting LDHA.

MicroRNA-448 modulates the progression of neuropathic pain by targeting sirtuin 1

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. The present study investigated the effects of miR-448 on the progression of neuropathic pain in a rat model of chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect the gene expression. The paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) and paw withdrawal latency (PWL) were used to assess the pain threshold. The protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by ELISA. The target of miR-448 was predicted by TargetScan software. The Student's t-test or one-way ANOVA were used to identify statistical differences among groups. miR-448 was persistently upregulated in CCI rats, and both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in CCI rats were decreased following miR-448 downregulation. The expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in CCI rats compared with controls, and these effects were reversed following treatment with a miR-448 inhibitor. A luciferase reporter assay revealed that sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) was a target gene of miR-448. SIRT1 was found to abrogate the effect of miR-448 on neuropathic pain development. Collectively, the results of the present study revealed that miR-448 promoted neuropathic pain in CCI rats by regulating neuroinflammation via SIRT1. Therefore, SIRT1 may be considered as a novel biomarker for neuropathic pain.

The MicroRNA-551a/MEF2C Axis Regulates the Survival and Sphere Formation of Cancer Cells in Response to 5-Fluorouracil

microRNAs regulate a diverse spectrum of cancer biology, including tumorigenesis, metastasis, stemness, and drug resistance. To investigate miRNA-mediated regulation of drug resistance, we characterized the resistant cell lines to 5-fluorouracil by inducing stable expression of miRNAs using lenti-miRNA library. Here, we demonstrate miR-551a as a novel factor regulating cell survival after 5-FU treatment. miR-551a-expressing cells (Hep3B-lenti-miR-551a) were resistant to 5-FU-induced cell death, and after 5-FU treatment, and showed significant increases in cell viability, cell survival, and sphere formation. It was further shown that myocyte-specific factor 2C is the direct target of miR-551a. Our results suggest that miR-551a plays a novel function in regulating 5-FU-induced cell death, and targeting miR-551a might be helpful to sensitize cells to anti-cancer drugs.

miR-448-3p controls intracranial aneurysm by regulating KLF5 expression

microRNAs (miRNAs) control several processes known to be involved in progression of aneurysm. Here, intracranial aneurysms (IAs) were surgically induced in Sprague-Dawley rats, and we found that miR-448-3p was downregulated and KLF5 was upregulated in IA rats. We identified Klf5 as a direct target of miR-448-3p in smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In addition, aneurysms size and the lumen area of the aneurysms were smaller 4 weeks after IA induction in the miR-448-3p-treated group. miR-448-3p treatment protected the wall thickness ratio and suppressed macrophage infiltration after IA induction. IAs caused a significant increase in KLF5 expression and were alleviated by miR-448-3p. Moreover, the anti-inflammatory effect of miR-448-3p was verified in lipopolysaccharide -stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The expression levels of KLF5, MMP2, and MMP9 levels were elevated by LPS, and were attenuated by miR-448-3p. These data suggest that miR-448-3p plays the inhibitory role in IA progression, indicating that miR-448-3p overexpression is crucial for preventing the development of IA through downregulation of macrophage-mediated inflammation.

miR-365b-3p inhibits the cell proliferation and migration of human coronary artery smooth muscle cells by directly targeting ADAMTS1 in coronary atherosclerosis

Abnormal proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells serves a crucial role in the development of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have suggested that some microRNAs (miRs) are involved in this process; however, the associated underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. In present study, human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMCs) were used to explore the function of miR-365b-3p in the coronary atherosclerosis. It was indicated that platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) treatment inhibited miR-365b-3p expression and upregulated the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 1 (ADAMTS1) in HCASMCs. Subsequently, miR-365b-3p mimic was transfected in HCASMCs to explore the function of this miR. The results of reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis indicated that overexpression of miR-365b-3p significantly downregulated ADAMTS1 expression. Functional assay results revealed that overexpression of miR-365b-3p significantly attenuated PDGF-BB-induced proliferation and migration of HCASMCs. Furthermore, the dual-luciferase reporter assay results confirmed that ADAMTS1 is a direct target gene of miR-365b-3p. This discovery proposed a novel channel of communication between ADAMTS1 and HCASMCs, and suggests a potential therapeutic approach for coronary atherosclerosis.

Relationship of cardiovascular disease risk factors and noncoding RNAs with hypertension: a case-control study

Background

The present study sought to explore the relationship of common cardiovascular disease risk factors and noncoding RNAs with essential hypertension (EH).

Methods

A total of 402 EH patients and 402 gender- and age-frequency matched healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Each participant received a questionnaire survey, physical examination and laboratory tests. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to assess relative expression levels of six noncoding RNAs (NR_027032, NR_034083, NR_104181, miR-126, miR-143 and miR-145) in peripheral blood leucocytes. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the risk of having EH between hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients.

Results

Analysis showed that participants with anxiety, high body mass index, abdominal obesity and family history of hypertension had higher risk for EH, whereas those with bland diet and occupational physical activities had lower risk for EH. qPCR assays showed that NR_027032 (P = 0.015) and NR_034083 (P = 0.004) were significantly reduced in EH patients compared with controls, whereas NR_104181 (P = 0.007), miR-143 (P = 0.005) and miR-145 (P = 0.015) were significantly elevated.

After controlling the cardiovascular risk factors, multivariate analysis showed that lower expression levels of NR_034083 and higher expression levels of NR_104181 and miR-143 were risk factors for EH.

Conclusions

EH is a result of environmental and epigenetic factors. Strikingly, NR_034083, NR_104181 and miR-143 may be correlated with the risk for EH development; therefore, epigenetic markers could be used to measure hypertension levels to help elucidate the pathogenesis of EH.