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Yu Q, Cai B, Zhang Y, Xu J, Liu D, Zhang X, Han Z, Ma Y, Jiao L, Gong M, Yang X, Wang Y, Li H, Sun L, Bian Y, Yang F, Xuan L, Wu H, Yang B, Zhang Y. Long non-coding RNA LHX1-DT regulates cardiomyocyte differentiation through H2A.Z-mediated LHX1 transcriptional activation. iScience 2023; 26:108051. [PMID: 37942009 PMCID: PMC10628816 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play widespread roles in various processes. However, there is still limited understanding of the precise mechanisms through which they regulate early stage cardiomyocyte differentiation. In this study, we identified a specific lncRNA called LHX1-DT, which is transcribed from a bidirectional promoter of LIM Homeobox 1 (LHX1) gene. Our findings demonstrated that LHX1-DT is nuclear-localized and transiently elevated expression along with LHX1 during early differentiation of cardiomyocytes. The phenotype was rescued by overexpression of LHX1 into the LHX1-DT-/- hESCs, indicating LHX1 is the downstream of LHX1-DT. Mechanistically, we discovered that LHX1-DT physically interacted with RNA/histone-binding protein PHF6 during mesoderm commitment and efficiently replaced conventional histone H2A with a histone variant H2A.Z at the promoter region of LHX1. In summary, our work uncovers a novel lncRNA, LHX1-DT, which plays a vital role in mediating the exchange of histone variants H2A.Z and H2A at the promoter region of LHX1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Yu
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
- Heart, Lung, and Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Benzhi Cai
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
- Department of Pharmacy at The Second Affiliated Hospital, and Department of Pharmacology at College of Pharmacy (The Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Dongping Liu
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Xiyang Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Zhenbo Han
- Department of Pharmacology & Regenerative Medicine, The University of Illinois College of Medicine, 909 S Wolcott Avenue, COMRB 4100, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Yingying Ma
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Lei Jiao
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Manyu Gong
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Xuewen Yang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Yanying Wang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Haodong Li
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Lihua Sun
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Yu Bian
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Lina Xuan
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
| | - Haodi Wu
- Heart, Lung, and Blood Vascular Medicine Institute, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Baofeng Yang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
- Research Unit of Noninfectious Chronic Diseases in Frigid Zone, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU070), Harbin 150086, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology (State-Province Key Laboratories of Biomedicine-Pharmaceutics of China, Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Medicine Research, Ministry of Education), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China
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Zhang Y, Wang W, Duan C, Li M, Gao L. Novel Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) Transcript AL137782.1 Promotes the Migration of Normal Lung Epithelial Cells through Positively Regulating LMO7. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13904. [PMID: 37762205 PMCID: PMC10530982 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) in biological processes remains poorly understood, despite their significant impact. Our previous research discovered that the expression of AL137782.1, a long transcript of the novel lncRNA ENSG00000261553, is upregulated in lung epithelial cells upon exposure to microbes. Furthermore, the expression of AL137782.1 exhibits variability between para-cancerous and lung adenocarcinoma samples. These findings imply that this lncRNA may play a role in both normal lung epithelial cellular processes and pathophysiology. To elucidate the function of AL137782.1 in lung epithelial cells, we utilized bioinformatics retrieval and analysis to examine its expression. We then analyzed its subcellular localization using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and subcellular fractionation. Through rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), we confirmed the presence of a 4401 nt lncRNA AL137782.1 in lung epithelial cells. Moreover, we discovered that this lncRNA positively regulates both mRNA and the protein expression of LMO7, a protein that may regulate the cell migration of normal lung epithelial cells. Although the overexpression of AL137782.1 has been shown to enhance the migration of both normal lung epithelial cells and lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro, our study revealed that the expression of this lncRNA was significantly decreased in lung cancers compared to adjacent tissues. This suggests that the cell migration pattern regulated by the AL137782.1-LMO7 axis is more likely to occur in normal lung epithelial cells, rather than being a pathway that promotes lung cancer cell migration. Therefore, our study provides new insights into the mechanism underlying cell migration in human lung epithelial cells. This finding may offer a potential strategy to enhance normal lung epithelial cell migration after lung injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhang
- Life Science School, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China; (Y.Z.); (W.W.); (C.D.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Conservation and Utilization of Special Biological Resources in the Western, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China
| | - Weili Wang
- Life Science School, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China; (Y.Z.); (W.W.); (C.D.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Conservation and Utilization of Special Biological Resources in the Western, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China
| | - Chunchun Duan
- Life Science School, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China; (Y.Z.); (W.W.); (C.D.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Conservation and Utilization of Special Biological Resources in the Western, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China
| | - Min Li
- Life Science School, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China; (Y.Z.); (W.W.); (C.D.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Conservation and Utilization of Special Biological Resources in the Western, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China
| | - Liyang Gao
- Life Science School, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China; (Y.Z.); (W.W.); (C.D.)
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Conservation and Utilization of Special Biological Resources in the Western, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750001, China
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Song X, Gao F, Li H, Qin W, Chai C, Shi G, Yang H. Long noncoding RNA THRIL promotes foam cell formation and inflammation in macrophages. Cell Biol Int 2023; 47:156-166. [PMID: 36229925 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (hnRNPL)-related immunoregulatory lincRNA (THRIL) is a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) involved in various inflammatory diseases. However, its role in atherosclerosis is not known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function of THRIL in mediating macrophage inflammation and foam cell formation. The expression of THRIL was quantified in THP-1 macrophages after treatment with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The effect of THRIL overexpression and knockdown on oxLDL-induced inflammatory responses and lipid accumulation was determined. THRIL-associated protein partners were identified by RNA pull-down and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. We show that THRIL is upregulated in macrophages after oxLDL treatment. Knockdown of THRIL blocks oxLDL-induced expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and TNF-α and lipid accumulation. Conversely, ectopic expression of THRIL enhances inflammatory gene expression and lipid deposition in oxLDL-treated macrophages. Moreover, THRIL depletion increases cholesterol efflux from macrophages and the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter (ABC) A1 and ABCG1. FOXO1 is identified as a protein partner of THRIL and promotes macrophage inflammation and lipid accumulation. Furthermore, overexpression of FOXO1 restores lipid accumulation and inflammatory cytokine production in THRIL-depleted macrophages. In conclusion, our data suggest a model where THRIL interacts with FOXO1 to promote macrophage inflammation and foam cell formation. THRIL may represent a therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosu Song
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Fen Gao
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hong Li
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Weiwei Qin
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Chanjuan Chai
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Guojuan Shi
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Huiyu Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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Yang Z, Xu F, Teschendorff AE, Zhao Y, Yao L, Li J, He Y. Insights into the role of long non-coding RNAs in DNA methylation mediated transcriptional regulation. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1067406. [PMID: 36533073 PMCID: PMC9755597 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1067406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is one of the most important epigenetic mechanisms that governing regulation of gene expression, aberrant DNA methylation patterns are strongly associated with human malignancies. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have being discovered as a significant regulator on gene expression at the epigenetic level. Emerging evidences have indicated the intricate regulatory effects between lncRNAs and DNA methylation. On one hand, transcription of lncRNAs are controlled by the promoter methylation, which is similar to protein coding genes, on the other hand, lncRNA could interact with enzymes involved in DNA methylation to affect the methylation pattern of downstream genes, thus regulating their expression. In addition, circular RNAs (circRNAs) being an important class of noncoding RNA are also found to participate in this complex regulatory network. In this review, we summarize recent research progress on this crosstalk between lncRNA, circRNA, and DNA methylation as well as their potential functions in complex diseases including cancer. This work reveals a hidden layer for gene transcriptional regulation and enhances our understanding for epigenetics regarding detailed mechanisms on lncRNA regulatory function in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yang
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation of Pudong Hospital, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Feng Xu
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation of Pudong Hospital, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Andrew E. Teschendorff
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Yao
- Experiment Medicine Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
| | - Jian Li
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation of Pudong Hospital, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yungang He
- Center for Medical Research and Innovation of Pudong Hospital, The Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism, Ministry of Science and Technology, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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LINC00472 inhibits cell migration by enhancing intercellular adhesion and regulates H3K27ac level via interacting with P300 in renal clear cell carcinoma. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:454. [PMID: 36371410 PMCID: PMC9653443 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01243-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) is the most common type of renal cell carcinoma, which is also difficult to diagnose and easy to metastasize. Currently, there is still a lack of effective clinical diagnostic indicators and treatment targets. This study aims to find effective diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets from the perspective of noncoding RNA. In this study, we found that the expression of Long noncoding RNA LINC00472 was significantly decreased in RCCC and showed a downward trend with the progression of cancer stage. Patients with low LINC00472 expression have poor prognosis. Inhibition of LINC00472 significantly increased cell proliferation and migration, while overexpression of LINC00472 obviously inhibited cell proliferation and enhanced intercellular adhesion. Transcriptome sequencing analysis demonstrated that LINC00472 was highly correlated with extracellular matrix and cell metastasis-related pathways, and the consistent results were obtained by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data analysis. Additionally, we discovered that the integrin family protein ITGB8 is a potential target gene of LINC00472. Mechanistically, we found that the change of LINC00472 affected the acetylation level of H3K27 site in cells, and we speculate that this effect is likely to be generated through the interaction with acetyltransferase P300. In conclusion, LINC00472 has an important impact on the proliferation and metastasis of renal clear cells, and probably participate in the regulation of histone modification, and it may be used as a potential diagnostic marker of RCCC.
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Zhang X, Zhao Y, Zhou Y, Lv J, Peng J, Zhu H, Liu R. Trends in research on sick sinus syndrome: A bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2022. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:991503. [DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.991503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Sick sinus syndrome (SSS) is a refractory arrhythmia disease caused by the pathological changes of sinoatrial node and its adjacent tissues. 2,251 publications related to SSS were retrieved from Web of Science database from 2000 to 2022 and analyzed by using VOS viewer and CiteSpace software. The results showed the United States dominated the field, followed by Japan, Germany, and China. SSS was closely related to risk factors such as atrial fibrillation and aging. Sick sinus syndrome, atrial fibrillation and sinus node dysfunction were the top three keywords that had the strongest correlation with the study. Pacemaker implantation, differentiation and mutation are research hotspots currently. Clinical studies on SSS found that sick sinus syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and pacemakers were the top three keywords that had the largest nodes and the highest frequency. In the field of basic applied research and basic research, atrial fibrillation and pacemaker cells were the focus of research. In conclusion, bibliometric analysis provided valuable information for the prevention, treatment and future research trends of SSS.
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Shan J, Wang X, Zhao J. XRCC2 reduced the sensitivity of NSCLC to radio-chemotherapy by arresting the cell cycle. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:3783-3795. [PMID: 35836870 PMCID: PMC9274602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to reveal the role and mechanism of X-ray repair cross complementing 2 (XRCC2) and bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database and Starbase database were used to predict the expression level of XRCC2 in NSCLC tissues and the survival time of patients diagnosed with NSCLC, respectively. Besides, qRT-PCR (quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction) and immunoblotting were conducted to confirm the expression of XRCC2 NSCLC tissues and cells. Moreover, cell viability and colony formation were measured by CCK-8 (cell counting kit-8) assay. Cell migration and invasion capabilities were determined by transwell assay. Flow cytometry analysis was employed to detect cell cycle. RESULTS XRCC2 was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues and cells. Additionally, bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy significantly inhibited NSCLC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Knockdown of XRCC2 further aggravated the role of bevacizumab and radiotherapy in NSCLC, while XRCC2 overexpression reversed these effects efficiently. Furthermore, XRCC2 silence exacerbated the arrest of cell cycle induced by bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy in NSCLC cells, whereas overexpression of XRCC2 alleviated the arrest remarkably. CONCLUSION Collectively, our research revealed that XRCC2 inhibited the sensitivity of NSCLC to bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy by decreasing cell cycle arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Shan
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese MedicineJi’nan 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Xinfeng Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese MedicineJi’nan 250014, Shandong, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical UniversityJi’nan 250031, Shandong, China
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Effect of Shenfu Injection on Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Pacemaker-Like Cells and Improvement of Pacing Function of Sinoatrial Node. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:4299892. [PMID: 35186186 PMCID: PMC8853776 DOI: 10.1155/2022/4299892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Sick sinus syndrome (SSS), a complex type of cardiac arrhythmia, is a major health threat to humans. Shenfu injection (SFI), a formula of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is effective in improving bradyarrhythmia. However, the underlying mechanism of SFI’s therapeutic effect is subject to few systematic investigations. The purpose of the present research is to examine whether SFI can boost the differentiation effectiveness of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into pacemaker-like cells and whether the transplantation of these cells can improve the pacing function of the sinoatrial node (SAN) in a rabbit model of SSS. BMSCs from New Zealand rabbits were extracted, followed by incubation in vitro. The flow cytometry was utilized to identify the expression of CD29, CD44, CD90, and CD105 surface markers. The isolated BMSCs were treated with SFI, and the whole-cell patch-clamp method was performed to detect hyperpolarization-the activated cyclic nucleotide-gated potassium channel 4 (HCN4) channel current activation curve. The SSS rabbit model was established using the formaldehyde wet dressing method, and BMSCs treated with SFI were transplanted into the SAN of the SSS rabbit model. We detected changes in the body-surface electrocardiogram and recorded dynamic heart rate measurements. Furthermore, transplanted SFI-treated BMSCs were subjected to HE staining, TUNEL staining, qPCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to study their characteristics. Our results indicate that the transplantation of SFI-treated BMSCs into the SAN of SSS rabbits improved the pacing function of the SAN. In vitro data showed that SFI induced the proliferation of BMSCs, promoted their differentiation capacity into pacemaker-like cells, and increased the HCN4 expression in BMSCs. In vivo, the transplantation of SFI treated-BMSCs preserved the function of SAN in SSS rabbits, improved the expression of the HCN4 gene and gap junction proteins (Cx43 and Cx45), and significantly upregulated the expression of cAMP in the SAN, compared to the SSS model group. In summary, the present research demonstrated that SFI might enhance the differentiation capacity of BMSCs into pacemaker-like cells, hence offering a novel approach for the development of biological pacemakers. Additionally, we confirmed the effectiveness and safety of pacemaker-like cells differentiated from BMSCs in improving the pacing function of the SAN.
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