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Feng L, Wei Y, Sun Y, Zhou L, Bi S, Chen W, Xiang W. MIR34A modulates lens epithelial cell apoptosis and cataract development via the HK1/caspase 3 signaling pathway. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:6331-6345. [PMID: 37414399 PMCID: PMC10373963 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in the world. Age is a major risk factor for cataracts, and with increasing aging, the burden of cataracts will grow, but the exact details of cataractogenesis remain unclear. A recent study showed that microRNA-34a (MIR34A) is involved in the development of cataracts, but the underlying pathogenesis remains obscure. Here, our results of microRNA target prediction showed that hexokinase 1 (HK1) is one of the genes targeted by MIR34A. Based on this finding, we focused on the function of MIR34A and HK1 in the progress of cataracts, whereby the human lens epithelial cell line SRA01/04 and mouse lens were treated with MIR34A mimics and HK1 siRNA. We found that HK1 mRNA is a direct target of MIR34A, whereby the high expression of MIR34A in the cataract lens suppresses the expression of HK1. In vitro, the upregulation of MIR34A together with the downregulation of HK1 inhibits the proliferation, induces the apoptosis of SRA01/04 cells, and accelerates the opacification of mouse lenses via the HK1/caspase 3 signaling pathway. In summary, our study demonstrates that MIR34A modulates lens epithelial cell (LEC) apoptosis and cataract development through the HK1/caspase 3 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujia Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen 518040, China
| | - Yantao Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yimeng Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Linbin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Shaowei Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Weirong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Wu Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology; Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science; Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou 510060, China
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Wang Z, Gao J, Xu C. Tackling cellular senescence by targeting miRNAs. Biogerontology 2022; 23:387-400. [PMID: 35727469 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-022-09972-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cellular senescence, which is characterized by permanent proliferation arrest, has become an important target for the amelioration of various human diseases. The activity of senescent cells is mainly related to the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). The SASP can cause chronic inflammation in local tissues and organs through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, and a series of factors secreted by senescent cells can deteriorate the cellular microenvironment, promoting tumor formation and exacerbating aging-related diseases. Therefore, avoiding the promotion of cancer is an urgent problem. In recent years, increased attention has been given to the mechanistic study of microRNAs in senescence. As important posttranscriptional regulators, microRNAs possess unique tissue-specific expression in senescence. MicroRNAs can regulate the SASP by regulating proteins in the senescence signaling pathway, the reverse transcriptase activity of telomerase, the generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage to mitochondria. Numerous studies have confirmed that removing senescent cells does not cause significant side effects, which also opens the door to the development of treatment modalities against senescent cells. Herein, this review discusses the double-edged sword of cellular senescence in tumors and aging-related diseases and emphasizes the roles of microRNAs in regulating the SASP, especially the potential of microRNAs to be used as therapeutic targets to inhibit senescence, giving rise to novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of aging-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehua Wang
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Jianwen Gao
- School of Medical Engineering, Ma'anshan University, No. 8, Huangchi Road, Gushu Town, Dangtu County, Ma'anshan, 243100, Anhui, China. .,Major of Biotechnological Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Pharmaceutical School, Shanghai, 200135, China.
| | - Congjian Xu
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Shanghai, 200011, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
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Hua CC, Liu XM, Liang LR, Wang LF, Zhong JC. Targeting the microRNA-34a as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Cardiovascular Diseases. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 8:784044. [PMID: 35155600 PMCID: PMC8828972 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.784044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are still the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and include a group of disorders varying from vasculature, myocardium, arrhythmias and cardiac development. MicroRNAs (miRs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs with 18–23 nucleotides that regulate gene expression. The miR-34 family, including miR-34a/b/c, plays a vital role in the regulation of myocardial physiology and pathophysiological processes. Recently, miR-34a has been implicated in cardiovascular fibrosis, dysfunction and related cardiovascular disorders as an essential regulator. Interestingly, there is a pivotal link among miR-34a, cardiovascular fibrosis, and Smad4/TGF-β1 signaling. Notably, both loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches identified the critical roles of miR-34a in cardiovascular apoptosis, autophagy, inflammation, senescence and remodeling by modulating multifunctional signaling pathways. In this article, we focus on the current understanding of miR-34a in biogenesis, its biological effects and its implications for cardiac pathologies including myocardial infarction, heart failure, ischaemia reperfusion injury, cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Thus, further understanding of the effects of miR-34a on cardiovascular diseases will aid the development of effective interventions. Targeting for miR-34a has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular dysfunction and related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cun-Cun Hua
- Heart Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Ming Liu
- Heart Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Rong Liang
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Tobacco Dependence Treatment Research, Beijing Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Le-Feng Wang
- Heart Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Jiu-Chang Zhong
| | - Jiu-Chang Zhong
- Heart Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Hypertension, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Tobacco Dependence Treatment Research, Beijing Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Le-Feng Wang
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MicroRNA-34a: the bad guy in age-related vascular diseases. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7355-7378. [PMID: 34698884 PMCID: PMC8629897 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03979-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The age-related vasculature alteration is the prominent risk factor for vascular diseases (VD), namely, atherosclerosis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, vascular calcification (VC) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The chronic sterile low-grade inflammation state, alias inflammaging, characterizes elderly people and participates in VD development. MicroRNA34-a (miR-34a) is emerging as an important mediator of inflammaging and VD. miR-34a increases with aging in vessels and induces senescence and the acquisition of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) in vascular smooth muscle (VSMCs) and endothelial (ECs) cells. Similarly, other VD risk factors, including dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension, modify miR-34a expression to promote vascular senescence and inflammation. miR-34a upregulation causes endothelial dysfunction by affecting ECs nitric oxide bioavailability, adhesion molecules expression and inflammatory cells recruitment. miR-34a-induced senescence facilitates VSMCs osteoblastic switch and VC development in hyperphosphatemia conditions. Conversely, atherogenic and hypoxic stimuli downregulate miR-34a levels and promote VSMCs proliferation and migration during atherosclerosis and PAH. MiR34a genetic ablation or miR-34a inhibition by anti-miR-34a molecules in different experimental models of VD reduce vascular inflammation, senescence and apoptosis through sirtuin 1 Notch1, and B-cell lymphoma 2 modulation. Notably, pleiotropic drugs, like statins, liraglutide and metformin, affect miR-34a expression. Finally, human studies report that miR-34a levels associate to atherosclerosis and diabetes and correlate with inflammatory factors during aging. Herein, we comprehensively review the current knowledge about miR-34a-dependent molecular and cellular mechanisms activated by VD risk factors and highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of modulating its expression in order to reduce inflammaging and VD burn and extend healthy lifespan.
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