Long noncoding RNA UC.98 stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques by promoting the proliferation and adhesive capacity in murine aortic endothelial cells

Ultra-conserved RNA: a novel biological tool with diagnostic and therapeutic potential

Ultra-conserved RNA (ucRNA) is a subset of long non-coding RNA, that is highly conserved among mice, rats and humans. UcRNA has attracted extensive attention in recent years for its potential biological significance in normal physiological function and diseases. However, due to the instability of RNA and the technical limitation, the function and mechanism of ucRNAs are largely unknown. Over the last two decades, researchers have made a lot of efforts to try to lift the veil of ucRNA in nervous, cardiovascular system and other systems as well as cancers. Since the concept of the glymphatic system is relatively new, we summarized here recent findings on the functions, regulation and the underlying mechanisms of ucRNAs in physiology and pathology. Meanwhile, pathology in some diseases is likely to contribute to abnormal expression of ucRNA in turn. We also discuss the technical challenges and bright prospects for future applications of ucRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

Clinical Parameters and Epigenetic Biomarkers of Plaque Vulnerability in Patients with Carotid Stenosis

Atheromatous disease is the first cause of death and dependency in developed countries and carotid artery atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of severe ischaemic strokes. Current management strategies are mainly based on the degree of stenosis and patient selection has limited accuracy. This information could be complemented by the identification of biomarkers of plaque vulnerability, which would permit patients at greater and lesser risk of stroke to be distinguished, thus enabling a better selection of patients for surgical or intensive medical treatment. Although several circulating protein-based biomarkers with significance for both the diagnosis of carotid artery disease and its prognosis have been identified, at present, none have been clinically implemented. This review focuses especially on the most relevant clinical parameters to take into account in routine clinical practice and summarises the most up-to-date data on epigenetic biomarkers of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability.

The Mechanism Underlying the Regulation of LncRNA-ASLNC18810 Involved in the Abnormal Function of Vascular Endothelial Cell in Atherosclerosis: Its Function as a microRNA (miRNA) Sponge for miR-559

Abnormal function of endothelial cells (ECs) is an important reason for vascular endothelial remodeling and atherosclerotic plaque formation in patients with atherosclerosis (AS). Here, we report for the first time that the vascular ECs with apoptosis resistance phenotype (ARECs) exist in peripheral blood of AS patients. Our research data showed that the switch of regulation modes between HIF-1α and Bax operated by lncRNA-ASLNC18810 is the direct cause for the formation of ARECs. When ASLNC18810 is low or missing, HIF-1α indirectly negatively regulates the Bax in post-transcription through HIF-1α/miR-559/Bax pathway which makes ECs acquire apoptosis resistance and form ARECs. The functional experiments results showed that ASLNC18810 could effectively eliminate the anti-apoptotic properties of ARECs by blocking the HIF-1α/miR559/Bax pathway and maintaining HIF-1α/Bax pathway. In a word, our study shows that ASLNC18810 has full potential to become a biological target for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic plaques by regulating ARECs. ASLNC18810 was significantly upregulated in ECs compared to ARECs. With high level of ASLNC18810 in ECs, ASLNC18810 binds to miR-559 as a miRNA sponge and suppresses the inhibition effect of miR-559 on Bax protein, this direct positive transcriptional regulation between HIF-1α and Bax endows the apoptotic property in ECs induced by Ox-LDL. However, with low expression of ASLNC18810 in ARECs, the post-transcriptional regulation of Bax by miR-559 dominates and the indirect negative regulation between HIF-1α and Bax endows the anti-apoptotic property of ARECs. To sum up, low ASLNC18810 expression-mediated switching of HIF-1α/Bax pathway to HIF-1α/miR-559/Bax pathway is the internal reason for ECs to obtain apoptosis resistance and the formation of ARECs under the ox-LDL induction.

Targeting non-coding RNAs in unstable atherosclerotic plaques: Mechanism, regulation, possibilities, and limitations

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) caused by arteriosclerosis are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In the late stages of atherosclerosis, the atherosclerotic plaque gradually expands in the blood vessels, resulting in vascular stenosis. When the unstable plaque ruptures and falls off, it blocks the vessel causing vascular thrombosis, leading to strokes, myocardial infarctions, and a series of other serious diseases that endanger people's lives. Therefore, regulating plaque stability is the main means used to address the high mortality associated with CVDs. The progression of the atherosclerotic plaque is a complex integration of vascular cell apoptosis, lipid metabolism disorders, inflammatory cell infiltration, vascular smooth muscle cell migration, and neovascular infiltration. More recently, emerging evidence has demonstrated that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a significant role in regulating the pathophysiological process of atherosclerotic plaque formation by affecting the biological functions of the vasculature and its associated cells. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively review the regulatory mechanisms involved in the susceptibility of atherosclerotic plaque rupture, discuss the limitations of current approaches to treat plaque instability, and highlight the potential clinical value of ncRNAs as novel diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic strategies to improve plaque stability and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events.

The Role of Exosomes and Their Cargos in the Mechanism, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common persistent arrhythmia, but the mechanism of AF has not been fully elucidated, and existing approaches to diagnosis and treatment face limitations. Recently, exosomes have attracted considerable interest in AF research due to their high stability, specificity and cell-targeting ability. The aim of this review is to summarize recent literature, analyze the advantages and limitations of exosomes, and to provide new ideas for their use in understanding the mechanism and improving the diagnosis and treatment of AF.