Polymorphisms in the long non-coding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 may contribute to higher systolic blood pressure levels in hypertensive patients

SH-SY5Y human neuronal cells with mutations of the CDKN2B-AS1 gene are vulnerable under cultured conditions

Glaucoma is a common cause of blindness worldwide. Genetic effects are believed to contribute to the onset and progress of glaucoma, but the underlying pathological mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we set out to introduce mutations into the CDKN2B-AS1 gene, which is known as being the closely associated with glaucoma, in a human neuronal cell line in vitro. We introduced gene mutations with CRISPR/Cas9 into exons and introns into the CDKN2B-AS1 gene. Both mutations strongly promoted neuronal cell death in normal culture conditions. RNA sequencing and pathway analysis revealed that the transcriptional factor Fos is a target molecule regulating CDKN2B-AS1 overexpression. We demonstrated that gene mutation of CDKN2B-AS1 is directly associated with neuronal cell vulnerability in vitro. Additionally, Fos, which is a downstream signaling molecule of CDKN2B-AS1, may be a potential source of new therapeutic targets for neuronal degeneration in diseases such as glaucoma.

Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms Regulating Blood Pressure and Kidney Dysfunction

The pioneering work of Dr Lewis K. Dahl established a relationship between kidney, salt, and high blood pressure (BP), which led to the major genetic-based experimental model of hypertension. BP, a heritable quantitative trait affected by numerous biological and environmental stimuli, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and is considered to be a primary modifiable factor in renal, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular diseases. Genome-wide association studies have identified monogenic and polygenic variants affecting BP in humans. Single nucleotide polymorphisms identified in genome-wide association studies have quantified the heritability of BP and the effect of genetics on hypertensive phenotype. Changes in the transcriptional program of genes may represent consequential determinants of BP, so understanding the mechanisms of the disease process has become a priority in the field. At the molecular level, the onset of hypertension is associated with reprogramming of gene expression influenced by epigenomics. This review highlights the specific genetic variants, mutations, and epigenetic factors associated with high BP and how these mechanisms affect the regulation of hypertension and kidney dysfunction.

Genetic variants of ANRIL and coronary artery disease: Insights from a Turkish study population

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally despite advancements in treatment. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in the atherosclerotic process, with ANRIL being one such lncRNA. This study explored the association between ANRIL polymorphisms (rs1333049:C > G, rs564398:T > C, and rs10757274:A > G) and CAD along with CAD risk factors in a Turkish patient group.

METHODS

The study included 1285 participants, consisting of 736 patients diagnosed with CAD (mean age = 63.3 ± 10.5 years) and 549 non-CAD controls (mean age = 57.52 ± 11.01 years). Genotypes for rs1333049, rs564398, and rs10757274 were determined using qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

G allele carriage of both rs1333049 and rs10757274 polymorphisms were associated with higher Gensini score, SYNTAX score, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in female CAD patients and non-CAD males. Females with rs564398 CC genotype were more susceptible to CAD (p = 0.02) and severe CAD (p = 0.05). Moreover, the G and T alleles of rs10757274 and rs564398 were more prevalent among hypertensive males. Also, carrying the C allele for rs564398 was associated with a decreased risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (p = 0.02). Besides, carriers of the rs1333049 C allele for decreased risk for T2DM (p = 0.03) and CAD complexed with T2DM (p = 0.04) in logistic regression analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, selected ANRIL polymorphisms were associated with CAD presence/severity and CAD risk factors, T2DM, and hypertension. Notably, this study, the largest sample-sized study examining the effects of selected polymorphisms on CAD and its risk factors among Turkish individuals, supported the findings of previous studies conducted on different ethnicities.

Alleviation of Angiotensin II-Induced Vascular Endothelial Cell Injury Through Long Non-coding RNA TUG1 Inhibition

BACKGROUND

Hypertension damages endothelial cells, causing vascular remodelling. It is caused by Ang II-induced endothelial cell (EC) destruction. The long noncoding RNA (lncRNAs) are emerging regulators of endothelium homeostasis. Injured endothelium expresses lncRNA taurine-upregulated gene 1 (TUG1), which may mediate endothelial cell damage, proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy and contribute to cardiovascular disease. However, uncertainty surrounds the function of lncRNA TUG1, on arterial endothelium cell damage.

OBJECTIVE

This research aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of lncRNA TUG1 in vascular endothelial cell injury.

METHOD

A microarray analysis of lncRNA human gene expression was used to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) cultures. The viability, apoptosis, and migration of Ang II-treated HUVECs were then evaluated. In order to investigate the role of lncRNA TUG1 in hypertension, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and RNA-FISH were used to examine the expression of TUG1 in SHR mice.

RESULTS

Ang II-activated HUVECs and SHR rats' abdominal aortas highly express the lncRNA TUG1. LncRNA TUG1 knockdown in HUVECs could increase cell viability, reduce apoptosis, and produce inflammatory factors. In SHR rat abdominal aortas, lncRNA TUG1 knockdown promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis. HE spotting showed that lncRNA TUG1 knockdown improved SHR rats' abdominal aorta shape. lncRNA TUG1 knockdown promotes miR-9- 5p, which inhibits CXCR4 following transcription. The lncRNA TUG1/miR-9-5p/CXCR4 axis and vascular cell injury were also examined. MiR-9-5p silencing or CXCR4 overexpression lowered cell survival, apoptosis, and lncRNA TUG1-induced IL-6 and NO expression.

CONCLUSION

lncRNA TUG1 suppression could reduce Ang II-induced endothelial cell damage by regulating and targeting miR-9-5p to limit CXCR4 expression and open new vascular disease research pathways.

ANRIL, H19 and TUG1: a review about critical long non-coding RNAs in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. They are non-transmissible diseases that affect the cardiovascular system and have different etiologies such as smoking, lipid disorders, diabetes, stress, sedentary lifestyle and genetic factors. To date, lncRNAs have been associated with increased susceptibility to the development of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, stroke, angina and heart failure. In this way, lncRNAs are becoming a very promising point for the prevention and diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this review highlights the most important and recent discoveries about the mechanisms of action of the lncRNAs ANRIL, H19 and TUG1 and their clinical relevance in these pathologies. This may contribute to early detection of cardiovascular diseases in order to prevent the pathological phenotype from becoming established.

An increase in a long noncoding RNA ANRIL in peripheral plasma is an indicator of stable angina

INTRODUCTION

Stable angina develops during physical activity or stress, and it is typically an aspect of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) that can lead to arrhythmia, heart failure and even sudden death. ANRIL, an Antisense Noncoding RNA gene in the INK4 Locus, is associated with multiple disorders including CHD; however, expressional levels of ANRIL in between patients with stable angina and myocardial infarction, one of the acute coronary syndrome, have not been clarified yet.

METHODS

The authors enrolled 62 patients with myocardial infarction and 59 with stable angina before primary percutaneous coronary intervention, as well as 48 healthy volunteers. Their peripheral blood was collected for analysis of ANRIL and cardiac troponin I, a traditional diagnostic index of CHD by real-time PCR.

RESULTS

The data showed that ANRIL is a better diagnostic indicator than cardiac troponin I in patients with stable angina and that the levels of ANRIL are higher in patients with stable angina than those with the myocardial infarction.

DISCUSSION

The levels of ANRIL in peripheral plasma could be used as a good biomarker for stable angina.

Maternal and placental ANRIL polymorphisms and preeclampsia susceptibility

Aim: The possible effects of maternal and placental ANRIL polymorphisms on preeclampsia were examined. Methods: The maternal blood of 315 preeclamptic and 317 control women and the placentas of 103 preeclamptic and 133 control women were enrolled in the study. ANRIL polymorphisms were genotyped using a PCR-RFLP method. Results: The maternal ANRIL rs1333048C variant showed a relationship with a lower risk of preeclampsia in codominant and dominant models. The maternal ANRIL rs4977574G variant had a relationship with a lower risk of preeclampsia in codominant and recessive models. There was an association between the placental rs1333048C variant and a lower risk of preeclampsia in codominant and dominant models. Conclusion: Maternal ANRIL rs1333048C and rs4977574G variants and placental rs1333048 variant showed a relationship with a lower risk of preeclampsia.

The role of long non-coding RNAs in the development of adipose cells

In recent times, the rising prevalence of obesity and its associated comorbidities have had a severe impact on human health and social progress. Therefore, scientists are delving deeper into the pathogenesis of obesity, exploring the role of non-coding RNAs. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), once regarded as mere "noise" during genome transcription, have now been confirmed through numerous studies to regulate gene expression and contribute to the occurrence and progression of several human diseases. LncRNAs can interact with protein, DNA, and RNA, respectively, and participate in regulating gene expression by modulating the levels of visible modification, transcription, post-transcription, and biological environment. Increasingly, researchers have established the involvement of lncRNAs in regulating adipogenesis, development, and energy metabolism of adipose tissue (white and brown fat). In this article, we present a literature review of the role of lncRNAs in the development of adipose cells.

Non-coding RNAs in human health and disease: potential function as biomarkers and therapeutic targets

Human diseases have been a critical threat from the beginning of human history. Knowing the origin, course of action and treatment of any disease state is essential. A microscopic approach to the molecular field is a more coherent and accurate way to explore the mechanism, progression, and therapy with the introduction and evolution of technology than a macroscopic approach. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play increasingly important roles in detecting, developing, and treating all abnormalities related to physiology, pathology, genetics, epigenetics, cancer, and developmental diseases. Noncoding RNAs are becoming increasingly crucial as powerful, multipurpose regulators of all biological processes. Parallel to this, a rising amount of scientific information has revealed links between abnormal noncoding RNA expression and human disorders. Numerous non-coding transcripts with unknown functions have been found in addition to advancements in RNA-sequencing methods. Non-coding linear RNAs come in a variety of forms, including circular RNAs with a continuous closed loop (circRNA), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA), and microRNAs (miRNA). This comprises specific information on their biogenesis, mode of action, physiological function, and significance concerning disease (such as cancer or cardiovascular diseases and others). This study review focuses on non-coding RNA as specific biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets.

Association between fine particulate matter and coronary heart disease: A miRNA microarray analysis

Several studies have reported an association between residential surrounding particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) and coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the underlying biological mechanism remains unclear. To fill this research gap, this study enrolled a residentially stable sample of 942 patients with CHD and 1723 controls. PM_2.5 concentration was obtained from satellite-based annual global PM_2.5 estimates for the period 1998-2019. MicroRNA microarray and pathway analysis of target genes was performed to elucidate the potential biological mechanism by which PM_2.5 increases CHD risk. The results showed that individuals exposed to high PM_2.5 concentrations had higher risks of CHD than those exposed to low PM_2.5 concentrations (odds ratio = 1.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.00, 1.47 per 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5). Systolic blood pressure mediated 6.6% of the association between PM_2.5 and CHD. PM_2.5 and miR-4726-5p had an interaction effect on CHD development. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that miR-4726-5p may affect the occurrence of CHD by regulating the function of RhoA. Therefore, individuals in areas with high PM_2.5 exposure and relative miR-4726-5p expression have a higher risk of CHD than their counterparts because of the interaction effect of PM_2.5 and miR-4726-5p on blood pressure.

The key roles of non-coding RNAs in the pathophysiology of hypertension

Hypertension is a multifactorial condition in which several genetic and environmental elements contribute. Recent investigations have revealed contribution of non-coding region of the transcriptome in this trait. CDKN2B-AS1, AK098656, MEG3, H19, PAXIP1-AS1, TUG1, GAS5, CASC2 and CPS1-IT are among long non-coding RNAs participating in the pathophysiology of hypertension. Several miRNAs have also been found to be implicated in this disorder. miR-296, miR-637, miR-296, miR-637, hsa-miR-361-5p, miR-122-5p, miR-199a-3p, miR-208a-3p, miR-423-5p, miR-223-5p and miR-140-5p are among dysregulated miRNAs in this condition whose application as diagnostic biomarkers for hypertension has been evaluated. Finally, hsa-circ-0005870, hsa_circ_0037911 and hsa_circ_0014243 are examples of dysregulated circular RNAs in hypertensive patients. In the current review, we describe the role of these non-coding RNAs in the pathophysiology of hypertension.

Long non-coding RNAs: a valuable biomarker for metabolic syndrome

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have become important regulators of gene expression because they affect a wide range of biological processes, such as cell growth, death, differentiation, and aging. More and more evidence suggests that lncRNAs play a role in maintaining metabolic homeostasis. When certain lncRNAs are out of balance, metabolic disorders like diabetes, obesity, and heart disease get worse. In this review, we talk about what we know about how lncRNAs control metabolism, with a focus on diseases caused by long-term inflammation and the characteristics of the metabolic syndrome. We looked at lncRNAs and their molecular targets in the pathogenesis of signaling pathways. We also talked about how lncRNAs are becoming more and more interesting as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for improving metabolic homeostasis.

ncRNAs and polyphenols: new therapeutic strategies for hypertension

Polyphenols have gained significant attention in protecting several chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Accumulating evidence indicates that polyphenols have potential protective roles for various CVDs. Hypertension (HTN) is among the hazardous CVDs accounting for nearly 8.5 million deaths worldwide. HTN is a complex and multifactorial disease and a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors play major roles in its development. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms are still elusive. Polyphenols have shown to cause favourable and beneficial effects in the management of HTN. Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) as influential mediators in modulating the biological properties of polyphenols, have shown significant footprints in CVDs. ncRNAs control basic functions in virtually all cell types relevant to the cardiovascular system and, thus, a direct link with blood pressure (BP) regulation is highly probable. Recent evidence suggests that a number of ncRNAs, including main small ncRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), play crucial roles with respect to the antihypertensive effects of polyphenols. Indeed, targeting lncRNAs by polyphenols will be a novel and promising strategy in the management of HTN. Herein, we reviewed the effects of polyphenols in HTN. Additionally, we emphasized on the potential effects of polyphenols on regulations of main ncRNAs, which imply the role of polyphenols in regulating ncRNAs in order to exert protective effects and thus proposing them as new targets for HTN treatment.Abbreviations : CVD: cardiovascular disease; BP: blood pressure; HTN: hypertension, lncRNAs: long noncoding RNAs; p38-MAPK: p38-mitogenactivated protein kinase; OPCs: oligomeric procyanidins; GTP: guanosine triphosphate; ROS: reactive oxygen species; cGMP: cyclic guanosine monophosphate; SGC: soluble guanylate cyclase; PI3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; cGMP: Cyclic GMP; eNOS: endothelial NO synthase; ERK ½: extracellular signal-regulated kinase ½; L-Arg: L-Arginine; MAPK: mitogen-activated protein kinases; NO: Nitric oxide; P: Phosphorus; PDK1: Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1; PI3-K: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PIP2: Phosphatidylinositol diphosphate; ncRNAs: non-protein-coding RNA; miRNAs: microRNAs; OPCs: oligomeric procyanidins; RES: resveratrol; GE: grape extract; T2DM: type 2 diabetes mellitus; IL: interleukin; TNF-α: tumour necrosis factor-alpha; NF-κB: nuclear factor NF-kappa-B; ALP: alkaline phosphatase; PARP1: poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase 1; HIF1a: Hypoxia-inducible-factor 1A; NFATc2: nuclear factor of activated T cells 2; PAD: peripheral artery disease; SHR: spontaneously hypertensive rat; RAAS: renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system; AT₁R: angiotensin type-1 receptor; Nox: NADPH oxidase; HO-1: haem oxygenase-1; JAK/STAT: Janus kinase/signal transducers/activators of the transcription; PNS: panax notoginseng saponin; snoRNA: small nucleolar RNA; hnRNA: heterogeneous nuclear RNA; VSMCs: vascular smooth muscle cells; irf7: interferon regulatory factor 7; limo2: LIM only domain 2; GWAS: genome-wide association study; GAS5: Growth arrest-specific 5; Asb3, Ankyrin repeat and SPCS box containing 3; Chac2: cation transport regulator homolog 2; Pex11b: peroxisomal membrane 11B; Sp5: Sp5 transcription factor; EGCG: epigallocatechin gallate; ApoE: Apo lipoprotein E; ERK-MAP kinase: extracellular signal-regulated kinases-mitogen-activated protein kinase; PAH: pulmonary artery hypertension; PAP: pulmonary arterial pressure; HIF1a: hypoxia-inducible-factor 1A; NFATc2: nuclear factor of activated T cells 2; HMEC-1: Human microvascular endothelial cells; stat2: signal transducers and activators of transcription 2; JNK: c-Jun N-terminal kinase; iNOS: inducible NO synthase. SNP: single nucleotide polymorphism; CAD: coronary artery disease.

Non-coding RNAs Regulate the Pathogenesis of Aortic Dissection

Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal cardiovascular disease. It is caused by a rupture of the aortic intima or bleeding of the aortic wall that leads to the separation of different aortic wall layers. Patients with untreated AD have a mortality rate of 1–2% per hour after symptom onset. Therefore, effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets are needed to reduce AD-associated mortality. With the development of molecular technology, researchers have begun to explore the pathogenesis of AD at gene and protein levels, and have made some progress, but the pathogenesis of AD remains unclear. Non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, have been identified as basic regulators of gene expression and are found to play a key role in the pathogenesis of AD. Thus, providing a theoretical basis for developing these non-coding RNAs as clinical biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for AD in the future. Previous studies on the pathogenesis of AD focused on miRNAs, but recently, there have been an increasing number of studies that explore the role of lncRNAs, and circRNAs in AD. This review summarizes the existing knowledge on the roles of various non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of AD, discusses their potential role as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets, states the limitations of existing evidence, and recommends future avenues of research on the pathogenesis of AD.

Association of Myocardial Infarction with CDKN2B Antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) rs1333049 Polymorphism in Slovenian Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: We examined the role of rs1333049 polymorphism of the CDKN2B Antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) on the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI) in Slovenian subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 1071 subjects with T2DM were enrolled in this retrospective cross-sectional case-control study. Of the subjects, 334 had a history of recent MI, and 737 subjects in the control group had no clinical signs of coronary artery disease (CAD). With logistic regression, we performed a genetic analysis of rs1333049 polymorphism in all subjects. Results: The C allele of rs1333049 polymorphism was statistically more frequent in MI subjects (p = 0.05). Subjects with CC genotype had a higher prevalence of MI than the control group in the co-dominant (AOR 1.50, CI 1.02–2.21, p = 0.04) and recessive (AOR 1.38, CI 1.09–1.89, p = 0.04) genetic model. Conclusions: According to our study, the C allele and CC genotype of rs1333049 polymorphism of CDKN2B-AS1 are possible markers of MI in T2DM subjects in the Slovenian population.

Cataloging the potential SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) associated with quantitative traits, viz. BMI (body mass index), IQ (intelligence quotient) and BP (blood pressure): an updated review

Background

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants are abundant, persistent and widely distributed across the genome and are frequently linked to the development of genetic diseases. Identifying SNPs that underpin complex diseases can aid scientists in the discovery of disease-related genes by allowing for early detection, effective medication and eventually disease prevention.

Main body

Various SNP or polymorphism-based studies were used to categorize different SNPs potentially related to three quantitative traits: body mass index (BMI), intelligence quotient (IQ) and blood pressure, and then uncovered common SNPs for these three traits. We employed SNPedia, RefSNP Report, GWAS Catalog, Gene Cards (Data Bases), PubMed and Google Scholar search engines to find relevant material on SNPs associated with three quantitative traits. As a result, we detected three common SNPs for all three quantitative traits in global populations: SNP rs6265 of the BDNF gene on chromosome 11p14.1, SNP rs131070325 of the SL39A8 gene on chromosome 4p24 and SNP rs4680 of the COMT gene on chromosome 22q11.21.

Conclusion

In our review, we focused on the prevalent SNPs and gene expression activities that influence these three quantitative traits. These SNPs have been used to detect and map complex, common illnesses in communities for homogeneity testing and pharmacogenetic studies. High blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease, as well as BMI, schizophrenia and IQ, can all be predicted using common SNPs. Finally, the results of our work can be used to find common SNPs and genes that regulate these three quantitative features across the genome.

RHO GTPase-Related Long Noncoding RNAs in Human Cancers

RHO GTPases are critical signal transducers that regulate cell adhesion, polarity, and migration through multiple signaling pathways. While all these cellular processes are crucial for the maintenance of normal cell homeostasis, disturbances in RHO GTPase-associated signaling pathways contribute to different human diseases, including many malignancies. Several members of the RHO GTPase family are frequently upregulated in human tumors. Abnormal gene regulation confirms the pivotal role of lncRNAs as critical gene regulators, and thus, they could potentially act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors. lncRNAs most likely act as sponges for miRNAs, which are known to be dysregulated in various cancers. In this regard, the significant role of miRNAs targeting RHO GTPases supports the view that the aberrant expression of lncRNAs may reciprocally change the intensity of RHO GTPase-associated signaling pathways. In this review article, we summarize recent advances in lncRNA research, with a specific focus on their sponge effects on RHO GTPase-targeting miRNAs to crucially mediate gene expression in different cancer cell types and tissues. We will focus in particular on five members of the RHO GTPase family, including RHOA, RHOB, RHOC, RAC1, and CDC42, to illustrate the role of lncRNAs in cancer progression. A deeper understanding of the widespread dysregulation of lncRNAs is of fundamental importance for confirmation of their contribution to RHO GTPase-dependent carcinogenesis.

Long Non-Coding RNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases: Potential Function as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets of Exercise Training

Despite advances in treatments and therapies, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The discovery that most of the human genome, although transcribed, does not encode proteins was crucial for focusing on the potential of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as essential regulators of cell function at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. This class of non-coding RNAs is related to the pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system. The different expression profiles of lncRNAs, in different contexts of CVDs, change a great potential in their use as a biomarker and targets of therapeutic intervention. Furthermore, regular physical exercise plays a protective role against CVDs; on the other hand, little is known about its underlying molecular mechanisms. In this review, we look at the accumulated knowledge on lncRNAs and their functions in the cardiovascular system, focusing on the cardiovascular pathology of arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure. We discuss the potential of these molecules as biomarkers for clinical use, their limitations, and how the manipulation of the expression profile of these transcripts through physical exercise can begin to be suggested as a strategy for the treatment of CVDs.

LncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 hinders the proliferation and facilitates apoptosis of ox-LDL-induced vascular smooth muscle cells via the ceRNA network of CDKN2B-AS1/miR-126-5p/PTPN7

OBJECTIVE

The patterns of lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 in coronary heart disease (CHD) have been extensively studied. This study investigated the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network of CDKN2B-AS1 in coronary atherosclerosis (CAS).

METHODS

Microarray analyses were performed to screen out the CHD-related lncRNAs (CDKN2B-AS1) and the downstream microRNAs (miR-126-5p). The expression of CDKN2B-AS1 in serum of patients with CHD and healthy volunteers was detected. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were treated with oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to establish the cell model. Then pcDNA-CDKN2B-AS1 and/or miR-126-5p mimic were transfected into ox-LDL-treated VSMCs to estimate cell proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation. The ceRNA network of CDKN2B-AS1 along with the possible pathway in CHD was testified.

RESULTS

CDKN2B-AS1 expression was low in patients with CHD and ox-LDL-treated VSMCs. Upon CDKN2B-AS1 overexpression, TNF-α, NF-κB and IL-1β levels in VSMCs were decreased, the proliferation of VSMCs was inhibited and the apoptosis rate was increased. Overexpression of miR-126-5p could reverse these trends. CDKN2B-AS1 as a ceRNA competitively bound to miR-126-5p to upregulate PTPN7. CDKN2B-AS1 inhibited VSMC proliferation and accelerated apoptosis by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt pathway.

CONCLUSION

LncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 upregulates PTPN7 by absorbing miR-126-5p and inhibits the PI3K-Akt pathway, thus hindering the proliferation and accelerating apoptosis of VSMCs induced by ox-LDL, thus being a therapeutic approach for CAS.

Role of long non-coding RNAs in adipogenesis: State of the art and implications in obesity and obesity-associated diseases

Obesity is an evolutionary, chronic, and relapsing disease that consists of a pathological accumulation of adipose tissue able to increase morbidity for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obstructive sleep apnea in adults, children, and adolescents. Despite intense research over the last 20 years, obesity remains today a disease with a complex and multifactorial etiology. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as interesting new regulators as different lncRNAs have been found to play a role in early and late phases of adipogenesis and to be implicated in obesity-associated complications onset. In this review, we discuss the most recent advances on the role of lncRNAs in adipocyte biology and in obesity-associated complications. Indeed, more and more researchers are focusing on investigating the underlying roles that these molecular modulators could play. Even if a significant number of evidence is correlation-based, with lncRNAs being differentially expressed in a specific disease, recent works are now focused on deeply analyzing how lncRNAs can effectively modulate the disease pathogenesis onset and progression. LncRNAs possibly represent new molecular markers useful in the future for both the early diagnosis and a prompt clinical management of patients with obesity.

Potential Therapeutic Targeting of lncRNAs in Cholesterol Homeostasis

Maintaining cholesterol homeostasis is essential for normal cellular and systemic functions. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a mechanism to fine-tune numerous biological processes by controlling gene expression. LncRNAs have emerged as important regulators in cholesterol homeostasis. Dysregulation of lncRNAs expression is associated with lipid-related diseases, suggesting that manipulating the lncRNAs expression could be a promising therapeutic approach to ameliorate liver disease progression and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, given the high-abundant lncRNAs and the poor genetic conservation between species, much work is required to elucidate the specific role of lncRNAs in regulating cholesterol homeostasis. In this review, we highlighted the latest advances in the pivotal role and mechanism of lncRNAs in regulating cholesterol homeostasis. These findings provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms of lncRNAs in lipid-related diseases and may offer potential therapeutic targets for treating lipid-related diseases.

LncRNAs and circular RNAs as endothelial cell messengers in hypertension: mechanism insights and therapeutic potential

Endothelial cells are major constituents in the vasculature, and they act as important players in vascular homeostasis via secretion/release of vasodilators and vasoconstrictors. In healthy arteries, endothelial cells play a key role in the regulation of vascular tone, cellular adhesion, and angiogenesis. A shift in the functions of the blood vessels toward vasoconstriction, proinflammatory state, oxidative stress and deficiency of nitric oxide (NO) might lead to endothelial dysfunction, a key event implicated in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular metabolic diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Thus, reversibility of endothelial dysfunction may be beneficial for maintaining vascular homeostasis. In recent years, accumulative evidence has documented that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critically involved in endothelial homeostasis. Specifically, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs are highly expressed in endothelial cells where they serve as important mediators in normal endothelial functions. Dysregulation of lncRNAs and circular RNAs has been tightly associated with hypertension-related endothelial dysfunction. In this review, we will summarize the current progression and underlying mechanisms of lncRNA and circular RNA in endothelial cell biology under hypertensive conditions. We will also highlight their potential as biomarkers or therapeutic targets for hypertension and its associated endothelial dysfunction.

ANRIL rs1333049 C/G polymorphism and coronary artery disease in a North Indian population - Gender and age specific associations

Many studies conducted worldwide substantiate a role of genetic polymorphisms in non-coding regions linked with coronary artery disease (CAD). One such single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of a non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus (ANRIL) i.e. rs1333049 C/G in the vicinity of cell cycle regulating genes is documented to have a role in CAD risk. In this study we aimed to determine the association of ANRIL rs1333049 C/G with CAD in a North Indian population. Five hundred disease free controls and 500 CAD patients were genotyped using allele specific ARMS-PCR method. High risk association of rs1333049 was seen in both heterozygous and mutant genotypes (OR=2.883, 95% CI=1.475-5.638 and p=0.002 and OR=6.717, 95% CI=3.444-13.102 and p < 0.001 respectively). Gender stratified analysis revealed risk association in both heterozygous and mutant genotypes in males. However, risk association in the mutant genotype and females was documented. Similarly, risk association was seen in subjects above 40 years of age in heterozygous and mutant genotypes. Similarly, risk association was reported in obese, sedentary lifestyle, positive family history and smoking in the heterozygous and mutant genotype and with diabetes in the mutant GG genotype. The study revealed high risk association of ANRIL rs1333049 with CAD and other risk factors.

Long Noncoding RNAs in Atherosclerosis: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Atherosclerosis is a complex and chronic disease characterized by lipid deposition in the vessel wall that leads to an inflammatory and proliferative cascade involving smooth muscle, endothelial, and immune cells. Despite substantial improvements in our understanding of mechanisms contributing to atherosclerosis and overall reduction in cardiovascular mortality, the absolute disease burden remains substantially high. The recent discovery of a new group of mediators known as long noncoding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs) offers a unique opportunity for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools in atherothrombotic disease. A number of studies suggest that lncRNAs are important mediators in health and disease, and rapidly accumulating evidence implicates lncRNAs in regulatory circuits controlling atherosclerosis. In this review, the authors outline important contributions of lncRNAs to atherosclerosis and its associated risk factors, including hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

The role of long noncoding RNA in major human disease

BACKGROUND

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are RNAs whose transcripts are longer than 200nt in length and lack the ability to encode proteins due to lack of specific open reading frames. lncRNAs were once thought to represent transcriptome noise or garbage sequences and a byproduct of RNA polymerase II (Pol II), and thereby ignored by researchers. In fact, lncRNA was involved in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes in organisms. Comprehensive study of lncRNA does not only provide explanations to the physiological and pathological processes of living organisms, but also gives us new perspectives to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of some clinical diseases. Therefore, the study of lncRNA is a very broad field of great research value and significance.

RESULTS

This article reviews the function of lncRNAs and their role in major human diseases.

CONCLUSIONS

Numerous studies show that lncRNA might serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of various diseases. Compared to conventional biomarkers, lncRNA seems to have a higher diagnostic and prognostic values, not only because of their tissue and disease specific expression patterns, but also due to their highly stable physical and chemical properties.

Circular RNAs in hypertension: challenges and clinical promise

Hypertension (HT), or high blood pressure (BP), is a chronic disease that is common among populations worldwide. The occurrence of HT is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adults. Although multiple studies have stressed the multifactorial and multigenic nature of HT, uncertainties about its etiology persist, and current diagnostic biomarkers can explain only a small part of the phenotypic variance of BP. Hence, the search for novel biomarkers that enable early disease prevention and guided therapy is warranted. Regulatory circRNAs have emerged as the newest player in HT-related gene networks and hold promise for improving the accuracy of diagnosis. These RNAs are genome products that are formed through back-splicing of specific regions of pre-mRNAs. Evidence suggests that these RNA species are involved in various metabolic diseases. Recent studies have revealed that aberrant expression of circRNAs is relevant to the occurrence and development of HT. Accordingly, circRNAs are proposed as a new generation of predictive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for different forms of HT, including pulmonary hypertension and preeclampsia. This paper presents an overview of the findings from current research focusing on the emerging role of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Furthermore, some of the challenges encountered by circRNA studies are highlighted, and perspectives are provided on the future of research in this area.

The impact of epigenetics on cardiovascular disease

Mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represents a huge burden to society. It is recognized that environmental factors and individual lifestyles play important roles in disease susceptibility, but the link between these external risk factors and our genetics has been unclear. However, the discovery of sequence-independent heritable DNA changes (epigenetics) have helped us to explain the link between genes and the environment. Multiple diverse epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and the expression of non-coding RNA molecules affect the expression of genes that produce important changes in cellular differentiation and function, influencing the health and adaptability of the organism. CVDs such as congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, cardiac fibrosis, hypertension, and atherosclerosis are now being viewed as much more complex and dynamic disorders. The role of epigenetics in these and other CVDs is currently under intense scrutiny, and we can expect important insights to emerge, including novel biomarkers and new approaches to enable precision medicine. This review summarizes the recent advances in our understanding of the role of epigenetics in CVD.

Long non-coding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 reduces inflammatory response and promotes cholesterol efflux in atherosclerosis by inhibiting ADAM10 expression

INTRODUCTION

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play key roles in the development of atherosclerosis through the inflammatory pathway. This study aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) in atherosclerosis via its function in A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10).

METHODS

Initially, the expression of CDKN2B-AS1 and ADAM10 in atherosclerotic plaque tissues and THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells was determined, after which the cholesterol efflux rate of macrophages was calculated. Interaction between CDKN2B-AS1 and ADAM10 was analyzed, after which, expression of CDKN2B-AS1 and ADAM10 were altered to explore their effects on inflammatory response and cholesterol efflux. The aforementioned findings were further intended to be validated by the atherosclerosis mouse model experiments.

RESULTS

Atherosclerotic plaque tissue and THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells exhibited downregulated CDKN2B-AS1 and upregulated ADAM10. Upon overexpressing CDKN2B-AS1 or silencing ADAM10, lipid accumulation was reduced and cholesterol efflux was increased. CDKN2B-AS1 located in the nucleus could bind to DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) to enhance methylation of ADAM10 promoter, leading to suppressed atherosclerotic inflammatory response and promoted cholesterol efflux.

CONCLUSION

Altogether, lncRNA CDKN2B-AS1 can inhibit the transcription of ADAM10 via DNMT1-mediated ADAM10 DNA methylation, consequently preventing inflammatory response of atherosclerosis and promoting cholesterol efflux.

Association and interaction of genetic variants with occurrence of ischemic stroke among Brazilian patients

Ischemic Stroke (IS) is a severe and complex disorder of high morbidity and mortality rates associated with clinical, environmental, and genetic predisposing factors. Despite previous studies have associated genetic variants to stroke, inconsistent results from different populations pointed to the genetic heterogeneity for IS. Therefore, we may hypothesize that an interaction effect among genetic variants could contribute to IS occurrence rather than genetic variants independently. In this context, we investigated the association and interaction between genetic variants and large-artery atherosclerosis IS (LAAS-IS) and cardioembolic IS (CE-IS). We genotyped 435 patients (195 LAAS-IS; 240 CE-IS) and 535 controls from a population of Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Association and interaction analysis were performed by chi-square test and Multifactor-dimensionality Reduction test. We found an association between rs2383207*A allele, nearby CDKN2B-AS1, and LAAS-IS [OR 2.35 (95% CI = 1.79-3.08); p = 4.66 × 10^-10]. We found an interaction among rs2910829, rs966221 and rs152312, with an accuracy of 0.62 (p = 4.3 × 10^-5) demonstrating the interaction effect among variants from different genes can contribute to CE-IS risk. Further prediction analysis confirmed that clinical information, such as hypertension and dyslipidemia, presented high accuracy to predict LAAS-IS (86.47%) and CE-IS (90.47%); however, the inclusion of genetic variant information did not increase the accuracy.

Association of a Chromosome Locus 9p21.3 CDKN2B-AS1 Variant rs4977574 with Hypertension: The TAMRISK Study

AIMS

Chromosome locus 9p21.3 CDKN2B antisense RNA 1 (CDKN2B-AS1) has been found to contain multiple genetic markers for coronary artery disease (CAD) by genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Of these, the association of variants rs4977574, rs10757274, and rs2383206 with hypertension was studied in the Tampere adult population cardiovascular risk study (TAMRISK).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A Finnish cohort of 336 subjects diagnosed with hypertension and 444 controls was analyzed. Samples were genotyped for the CDKN2B-AS1 polymorphisms using Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) or TaqMan techniques.

RESULTS

Individuals with the minor genotype GG of rs4977574 had less hypertension compared to the other genotypes (p = 0.048, OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.01-2.48). The variants rs2383206 and rs10757274 were not associated with hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the GG genotype of the CDKN2B-AS1 gene variant rs4977574, which has been previously associated with an increased CAD risk, is also associated with a decreased susceptibility to the development of hypertension.

Evaluation of the role of CDKN2B gene in type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension in ethnic Saudi Arabs

Background

Coronary heart disease (CAD) is a multiple with several contributory risk traits, including type 2 diabetes and hypertension, which may share common genetic risk variants with the disease. Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have yielded a wealth of information suggesting that CAD, the extent of contributory variants may differ according to genetic locus. The present study aimed at verifying whether the cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor B (CDKN2B) genomic region strongly associated with coronary artery disease (CAD)/myocardial infarction (MI) may also constitute risk for its risk factors type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN) in ethnic Saudi Arabs.

Methodology

We genotyped eight CDKN2B SNPs for cardiovascular risk in a total of 4650 Saudi Arabs, (3049 male and 1601 female) by Taqman assay. Of these individuals, 3732 had primary hypertension and 2576 had type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results

Out of the eight studied SNPs, two, rs10757274_A [0.915 (0.840-1.00); p = 0.042], rs1333045_T [0.92(0.84-1.00); p = 0.048] were initially associated with type 2 diabetes but lost the association after multivariate adjustments for CAD, hypertension and MI, while rs10757274_A showed borderline association with hypertension.

Conclusions

Our finding does not support the notion of a critical role for the CDKN2B gene locus as a HTN or T2DM cardiovascular risk in ethnic Arabs. The study also demonstrates the importance of replication studies in ascertaining the role of a genomic sequence in disease.

Non-Coding RNA in the Pathogenesis, Progression and Treatment of Hypertension

Hypertension is a complex, multifactorial disease that involves the coexistence of multiple risk factors, environmental factors and physiological systems. The complexities extend to the treatment and management of hypertension, which are still the pursuit of many researchers. In the last two decades, various genes have emerged as possible biomarkers and have become the target for investigations of specialized drug design based on its risk factors and the primary cause. Owing to the growing technology of microarrays and next-generation sequencing, the non-protein-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have increasingly gained attention, and their status of redundancy has flipped to importance in normal cellular processes, as well as in disease progression. The ncRNA molecules make up a significant portion of the human genome, and their role in diseases continues to be uncovered. Specifically, the cellular role of these ncRNAs has played a part in the pathogenesis of hypertension and its progression to heart failure. This review explores the function of the ncRNAs, their types and biology, the current update of their association with hypertension pathology and the potential new therapeutic regime for hypertension.

Low expression of long noncoding RNA CDKN2B-AS1 in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis predicts lung cancer by regulating the p53-signaling pathway

The present study aimed to investigate the expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor-2B-antisense RNA 1 CDKN2B-AS1 in patients with peripheral blood of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A total of 24 patients with IPF and 24 healthy controls were included in the study, four patients with IPF and four healthy controls were selected randomly to extract RNA. There were no other diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in the two groups. RNA from peripheral blood was extracted by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis was performed. Based on selected differentially expressed lncRNA and mRNA, gene ontology analysis was performed to screen out the tumor-associated mRNA. A total of 20 samples were chosen to avoid variance due to individual differences. A total of 20 patients with IPF, and 20 controls were further studied, RNA extracted from peripheral blood was used to verify the lncRNA and mRNA levels. A total of 440 lncRNAs were identified to be upregulated and 1,376 downregulated according to the screening results of differential expression. High-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that the expression of CDKN2B-AS1 decreased significantly in patients with IPF compared with healthy controls. The adjacent gene mRNA of CDKN2B-AS1 was identified as CDKN2A, an important anti-oncogene, which is concentrated on the p53 signaling-pathway according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes database. CDKN2A mRNA expression levels were lower in patients with IPF and higher in the control group. The expression of CDKN2B-AS1 and CDKN2A mRNA was significantly lower in IPF group compared with in the control group (P<0.05). The results suggest the expression of the CDKN2B-AS1 and adjacent gene, CDKN2A, are downregulated in the peripheral blood of patients with IPF, which activates the p53-signaling pathway to promote lung cancer formation.

Association of CDKN2B-AS1 rs1333049 with Brain Diseases: A Case-control Study and a Meta-analysis

Objective

CDKN2B-AS1 polymorphisms were shown to associate with the risk of stroke in European. The goal of this study was to evaluate the contribution of CDKN2B-AS1 rs1333049 to the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and brain tumor (BT) in Han Chinese.

Methods

A total of 142 HSs, 115 BTs, and 494 controls were included in the current association study. The genotyping test was performed using the melting temperature shift method.

Results

We failed to validate the association of CDKN2B-AS1 rs1333049 with the risk of brain disease. Significantly higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (p=0.027), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (p<0.001) and total cholesterol (TC) (p<0.001) were found in HSs in the genotype GG/GC carriers, but not the genotype CC carriers (p>0.05). The meta-analysis of 10 studies among 133,993 individuals concluded that rs1333049 of CDKN2B-AS1 gene was likely to increase a 16% incidence rate of cerebrovascular disease (CD) among various populations (odds ratio 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.08–1.25; p<0.0001, random-effect method).

Conclusion

Our case-control study identified rs1333049 genotypes showed different association with the concentration of the LDL-C, HDL-C and TC in the HS patients. Meta-analysis supported the association between rs1333049 and CD risk in various populations, although we were unable to observe association between rs1333049 and the risk of HSs in Han Chinese.

Innovating healthcare delivery to address noncommunicable diseases in low-income settings: the example of hypertension

London Dialogue event, The Hospital Club, 24 Endell St, London, WC2H 9HQ, London, UK, 1 December 2015 Hypertension is a global health issue causing almost 10 million deaths annually, with a disproportionate number occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The condition can be managed effectively, but there is a need for innovation in healthcare delivery to alleviate its burden. This paper presents a number of innovative delivery models from a number of different countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Barbados and India. These models were presented at the London Dialogue event, which was cohosted by the Novartis Foundation and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Centre for Global Noncommunicable Diseases on 1 December 2015. It is argued that these models are applicable not only to hypertension, but provide valuable lessons to address other noncommunicable diseases.