Plasma exosome-derived microRNAs expression profiling and bioinformatics analysis under cross-talk between increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and ATP-sensitive potassium channels variant rs1799858

Mir-509-3p targets SLC25A13 to regulate ferroptosis and protect retinal endothelial cells in diabetic retinopathy

AIMS

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major complication of diabetes that leads to vision impairment. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory role of miR-509-3p in DR, focusing on its interaction with SLC25A13 and its impact on retinal endothelial cell function, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and ferroptosis.

METHODS

HRVECs were cultured in high-glucose (HG) conditions to establish an in vitro DR model. miR-509-3p mimics and inhibitors were transfected into HRVECs to assess their effects on SLC25A13 expression, cell viability, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and ferroptosis markers. A luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation were used to confirm the binding of miR-509-3p to SLC25A13 mRNA. For in vivo validation, agomiR-509-3p was injected into the vitreous of DR mice, and retinal thickness, pathological damage, and apoptosis were evaluated. Ferroptosis-related markers (GPX4, TlR4, ASCL4) were analyzed in HRVECs to explore the mechanism of miR-509-3p in regulating ferroptosis.

RESULTS

In vitro, miR-509-3p significantly decreased SLC25A13 expression, resulting in enhanced HRVEC viability, reduced apoptosis, and lower ROS levels under HG conditions. Overexpression of SLC25A13 reversed these protective effects, while miR-509-3p knockdown exacerbated oxidative stress and apoptosis. In vivo, agomiR-509-3p increased retinal thickness, reduced pathological damage, and decreased apoptosis in DR mice. Ferroptosis marker analysis revealed that miR-509-3p upregulated GPX4 expression and downregulated TlR4 and ASCL4, whereas SLC25A13 overexpression reversed these effects, further linking miR-509-3p to the regulation of ferroptosis.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-509-3p exerts a protective effect in DR by targeting SLC25A13, reducing oxidative stress, apoptosis, and ferroptosis in retinal endothelial cells. These findings highlight the potential of miR-509-3p as a therapeutic target for DR management.

miR-619-5p and cardiogenic shock in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a severe myocardial dysfunction secondary to various cardiac conditions including ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) and associated with a high risk of death. Little is known on epigenetic determinants in CS. Here, we investigated plasma miRNAs in relation to CS stratification in STEMI-patients.

METHODS

STEMI-patients (n = 49), with (CS, n = 25) and without CS (non-CS, n = 24) fulfilling inclusion criteria were included from HSCSP-cohort (Derivation-cohort). CS-miRNAs were analysed by Affymetrix-microarray and RT-PCR. Results were validated in a second cohort of CS-patients (CardShock: n = 35) with similar inclusion/exclusion criteria as the derivation cohort. In silico analysis were performed to identify potential miRNA target genes.

RESULTS

Of the 5-miRNA signature obtained from microarray analysis, miR-619-5p showed higher levels in CS than in Non-CS patients (p = .003) and discriminating power for CS by ROC (AUC: .752, p = .003). miR-619-5p directly associated with risk scores [GRACE, p = .001; CardShock, p < .001]. Furthermore, miR-619-5p showed discrimination power for death in CS. Thus, miRNA levels were significantly higher in patients with mortality outcome both in the Derivation HSCSP-cohort (p = .02; AUC: .78 ± .095) and the Validation CardShock-cohort (p = .017; AUC: .737 ± .086) By in silico analysis, miR-619-5p target genes and TNF-alpha were involved in the regulation of inflammation. miR-619-5p and TNF-alpha levels discriminated mortality outcome in CS-patients during 30-day follow-up (Validation-Cohort: ROC: .812, p = .002; HR: 9.99, p = .003).

CONCLUSIONS

Up-regulation of miR-619-5p is found in the plasma of STEMI-patients with CS and mortality outcome. These findings highlight the specificity of epigenetic regulation of inflammation on the disease severity of MI.

Association of KATP variants with CMD and RAP in CAD patients with increased serum lipoprotein(a) levels

CONTEXT

Refractory angina pectoris (RAP) is a specific subtype of coronary artery disease (CAD). Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and its induced coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) play an important role in pathogenesis of RAP, but its metabolism was mostly genetically determined. ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP) is involved in lipid metabolism and microvascular homeostasis, and becomes a promising target for the management of Lp(a) and its related RAP.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate associations of KATP variants with hyperlipoprotein(a)emia, CMD and RAP in CAD patients.

DESIGN, PATIENTS, SETTINGS

A total of 1,148 newly diagnosed CAD patients were prospectively selected, and divided into control [Lp(a) < 180 mg/dL] and case [Lp(a) ≥ 180 mg/dL, hyperlipoprotein(a)emia] group.

METHODS

9 KATP variants were genotyped by MassARRAY system. The expression profile of exosome-derived microRNAs (exo-miRs) was identified by next-generation sequencing, and the expression levels of differentially expressed exo-miRs were evaluated by qRT-PCR in verification cohort.

RESULTS

Three KATP variants were associated with increased risk of hyperlipoprotein(a)emia in CAD patients as follows: rs2285676 (AA + GA genotype, adjusted OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.10-1.88, P = 0.008), rs1799858 (CC genotype, adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.03-1.73, P = 0.030), and rs141294036 (CC genotype, adjusted OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.10-1.87, P = 0.008). Only rs141294036 was associated with increased risk of CMD (CC genotype, adjusted OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.23-2.13, P = 0.001), and further with increased RAP risk (CC genotype, adjusted HR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.22-3.43, P = 0.007) after median follow-up of 50.6-months. Between the two genotypes of rs141294036, 152 exo-miRs were significantly differentially expressed, only 10 exo-miRs (miR-7110-3p, miR-548az-5p, miR-214-3p, let-7i-5p, miR-218-5p, miR-128-3p, miR-378i, miR-625-3p, miR-128-1-5p and miR-3187-3p) were further confirmed in RAP patients with hyperlipoprotein(a)emia and CMD.

CONCLUSION

KATP rs141294036 may serve a potential genetic marker for hyperlipoprotein(a)emia, CMD and RAP in CAD patients.

Role of microRNAs in type 2 diseases and allergen-specific immunotherapy

MicroRNAs (miRs) have gained scientific attention due to their importance in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases as well as their potential as biomarkers in allergen-specific treatment options. Their function as post-transcriptional regulators, controlling various cellular processes, is of high importance since any single miR can target multiple mRNAs, often within the same signalling pathway. MiRs can alter dysregulated expression of certain cellular responses and contribute to or cause, but in some cases prevent or repress, the development of various diseases. In this review article, we describe current research on the role of specific miRs in regulating immune responses in epithelial cells and specialized immune cells in response to various stimuli, in allergic diseases, and regulation in the therapeutic approach of allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT). Despite the fact that AIT has been used successfully as a causative treatment option since more than a century, very little is known about the mechanisms of regulation and its connections with microRNAs. In order to fill this gap, this review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge.

Human Milk Extracellular Vesicles: A Biological System with Clinical Implications

The consumption of human milk by a breastfeeding infant is associated with positive health outcomes, including lower risk of diarrheal disease, respiratory disease, otitis media, and in later life, less risk of chronic disease. These benefits may be mediated by antibodies, glycoproteins, glycolipids, oligosaccharides, and leukocytes. More recently, human milk extracellular vesicles (hMEVs) have been identified. HMEVs contain functional cargos, i.e., miRNAs and proteins, that may transmit information from the mother to promote infant growth and development. Maternal health conditions can influence hMEV composition. This review summarizes hMEV biogenesis and functional contents, reviews the functional evidence of hMEVs in the maternal–infant health relationship, and discusses challenges and opportunities in hMEV research.

Expression Signatures of Long Noncoding RNAs in Left Ventricular Noncompaction

Long noncoding RNAs have gained widespread attention in recent years for their crucial role in biological regulation. They have been implicated in a range of developmental processes and diseases including cancer, cardiovascular, and neuronal diseases. However, the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) has not been explored. In this study, we investigated the expression levels of lncRNAs in the blood of LVNC patients and healthy subjects to identify differentially expressed lncRNA that develop LVNC specific biomarkers and targets for developing therapies using biological pathways. We used Agilent Human lncRNA array that contains both updated lncRNAs and mRNAs probes. We identified 1,568 upregulated and 1,141 downregulated (log fold-change > 2.0) lncRNAs that are differentially expressed between LVNC and the control group. Among them, RP11-1100L3.7 and XLOC_002730 are the most upregulated and downregulated lncRNAs. Using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-QPCR), we confirmed the differential expression of three top upregulated and downregulated lncRNAs along with two other randomly picked lncRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways analysis with these differentially expressed lncRNAs provide insight into the cellular pathway leading to LVNC pathogenesis. We also identified 1,066 upregulated and 1,017 downregulated mRNAs. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) showed that G2M, Estrogen, and inflammatory pathways are enriched in differentially expressed genes (DEG). We also identified miRNA targets for these differentially expressed genes. In this study, we first report the use of LncRNA microarray to understand the pathogenesis of LVNC and to identify several lncRNA and genes and their targets as potential biomarkers.

LncRNA LINC00520 aggravates cell proliferation and migration in lung adenocarcinoma via a positive feedback loop

BACKGROUND

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological subtype of primary lung cancer. To identify the biomarker of diagnosis for LUAD is of great significance. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were previously revealed to exert vital effects in numerous cancers. LncRNA long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 520 (LINC00520) served as an oncogene in various cancers. Therefore, our study was specially designed to probe the role of LINC00520 in LUAD.

RESULTS

LINC00520 expression was detected by RT-qPCR. Next, function of LINC00520 in LUAD was verified by in vitro loss-of-function experiments. DNA pull down, ChIP, RIP, and luciferase reporter assays were conducted to reveal the regulatory mechanism of LINC00520. We found that LINC00520 was upregulated in LUAD. Additionally, LINC00520 upregulation is associated with the poor prognosis for patients with LUAD. Furthermore, LINC00520 downregulation suppressed LUAD cell proliferation and migration and induced cell apoptosis. Forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) is identified as the transcription factor to transcriptionally activate LINC00520. Moreover, LINC00520 positively upregulated FOXP3 expression via sponging miR-3611 in LUAD cells. Subsequently, rescue experiments delineated that miR-3611 downregulation or FOXP3 overexpression reversed the effects of silenced LINC00520 on proliferative and migratory capabilities in LUAD cells.

CONCLUSION

This study innovatively indicated that lncRNA LINC00520 facilitated cell proliferative and migratory abilities in LUAD through interacting with miR-3611 and targeting FOXP3, which may provide a potential novel insight for treatment of LUAD.

MicroRNA‑378d inhibits Glut4 by targeting Rsbn1 in vitamin D deficient ovarian granulosa cells

Vitamin D (VD) is not only associated with bone growth and development, but is also closely associated with numerous other pathological conditions. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of microRNA (miRNA/miR)-378d on ovarian granulosa cells by regulating the round spermatid basic protein 1 (Rsbn1) in the absence of VD. The abnormal expression of miRNAs in ovarian tissues of the VD-deficient mouse was analyzed using transcriptome sequencing. miR-378d, glucose transporter 4 (Glut4) and aromatase (Cyp19a) expression levels were examined via reverse transcription-quantitative (RT-q)PCR and western blotting. The expression levels of Rsbn1, Glut4 and Cyp19a were detected in transfected mouse ovarian granulosa cells. The targeting regulation between miR-378d and Rsbn1 was verified using double reporter gene assay and functional rescue experiments. Among the 672 miRNAs that were differentially expressed, cluster analysis revealed that 17 were significantly upregulated and 16 were significantly downregulated. Moreover, miR-378d showed significant upregulation, which was further verified via RT-qPCR. It was identified that the protein expression level of Rsbn1 was significantly downregulated. Furthermore, Glut4 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in the mimic group but markedly increased in the inhibitor group. By contrast, the mRNA expression levels of Rsbn1 and Cyp19a did not demonstrate any significant difference. The western blotting results indicated that the protein expression levels of Rsbn1 and Glut4 were decreased and increased, respectively, while Cyp19a did not show any significant change. In addition, the double reporter gene experiments confirmed that Rsbn1 was the target gene of miR-378d. Collectively, the present results demonstrated that miR-378d was abnormally overexpressed in the ovarian tissues of the VD-deficient mice, and that miR-378d could inhibit Glut4 production by targeting Rsbn1, which may lead to insulin resistance.

Genetic predisposition and bioinformatics analysis of ATP-sensitive potassium channels polymorphisms with the risks of elevated apolipoprotein B serum levels and its related arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease

Serum concentration of apolipoprotein B (Apo B) is causally associated with arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Whether ATP-sensitive potassium channels (KATP) variants predict the risk of increased Apo B concentration (≥ 80 mg/dL) and related ASCVD remain less clear. We recruited 522 subjects with elevated Apo B concentration (≥ 80 mg/dL) and 522 counterpart subjects (< 80 mg/dL) from South China to assess the associations of KATP variants (rs11046182, rs78148713, rs145456027 and rs147265929) with the risks of increased Apo B serum concentration (≥ 80 mg/dL), carotid artery stenosis (CAS) ≥ 50% and new-onset ischemic stroke (IS). Our results showed that only KATP SNP rs11046182 (GG genotype) was associated with increased risk of Apo B ≥ 80 mg/dL (adjusted OR=2.17, P<0.001) and CAS ≥ 50% (adjusted OR=2.63, P=0.011). After median 50.6-months follow-up, subjects carrying GG genotype of rs11046182 were associated with higher risk of new-onset IS (adjusted HR=2.24, P=0.024). Further, the exosome-derived microRNAs (exo-miRs) expression profile was identified by next-generation sequencing. 41 exo-miRs were significantly differentially expressed under cross-talk status between high Apo B level (≥ 80 mg/dL) and KATP rs11046182. Our study demonstrated that KATP variant rs11046182 was associated with higher risks of elevated serum Apo B levels and its related ASCVD, and the possible mechanism was related to specific exo-miRs expression profile of KATP rs11046182.