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Lozano-Velasco E, Inácio JM, Sousa I, Guimarães AR, Franco D, Moura G, Belo JA. miRNAs in Heart Development and Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1673. [PMID: 38338950 PMCID: PMC10855082 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031673] [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: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a group of disorders that affect the heart and blood vessels. They include conditions such as myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmia, and congenital heart defects. CVDs are the leading cause of death worldwide. Therefore, new medical interventions that aim to prevent, treat, or manage CVDs are of prime importance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the posttranscriptional level and play important roles in various biological processes, including cardiac development, function, and disease. Moreover, miRNAs can also act as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In order to identify and characterize miRNAs and their target genes, scientists take advantage of computational tools such as bioinformatic algorithms, which can also assist in analyzing miRNA expression profiles, functions, and interactions in different cardiac conditions. Indeed, the combination of miRNA research and bioinformatic algorithms has opened new avenues for understanding and treating CVDs. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the roles of miRNAs in cardiac development and CVDs, discuss the challenges and opportunities, and provide some examples of recent bioinformatics for miRNA research in cardiovascular biology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Lozano-Velasco
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (D.F.)
| | - José Manuel Inácio
- Stem Cells and Development Laboratory, iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1150-082 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Inês Sousa
- Genome Medicine Lab, Department of Medical Sciences, Institute for Biomedicine–iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (I.S.); (A.R.G.); (G.M.)
| | - Ana Rita Guimarães
- Genome Medicine Lab, Department of Medical Sciences, Institute for Biomedicine–iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (I.S.); (A.R.G.); (G.M.)
| | - Diego Franco
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (D.F.)
| | - Gabriela Moura
- Genome Medicine Lab, Department of Medical Sciences, Institute for Biomedicine–iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; (I.S.); (A.R.G.); (G.M.)
| | - José António Belo
- Stem Cells and Development Laboratory, iNOVA4Health, NOVA Medical School|Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, 1150-082 Lisbon, Portugal;
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Carmona R, López-Sánchez C, Garcia-Martinez V, Garcia-López V, Muñoz-Chápuli R, Lozano-Velasco E, Franco D. Novel Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms Governing Embryonic Epicardium Formation. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2023; 10:440. [PMID: 37998498 PMCID: PMC10672416 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd10110440] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The embryonic epicardium originates from the proepicardium, an extracardiac primordium constituted by a cluster of mesothelial cells. In early embryos, the embryonic epicardium is characterized by a squamous cell epithelium resting on the myocardium surface. Subsequently, it invades the subepicardial space and thereafter the embryonic myocardium by means of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Within the myocardium, epicardial-derived cells present multilineage potential, later differentiating into smooth muscle cells and contributing both to coronary vasculature and cardiac fibroblasts in the mature heart. Over the last decades, we have progressively increased our understanding of those cellular and molecular mechanisms driving proepicardial/embryonic epicardium formation. This study provides a state-of-the-art review of the transcriptional and emerging post-transcriptional mechanisms involved in the formation and differentiation of the embryonic epicardium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Carmona
- Department of Human Anatomy, Legal Medicine and History of Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Carmen López-Sánchez
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Molecular Pathology Biomarkers, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (C.L.-S.); (V.G.-M.)
| | - Virginio Garcia-Martinez
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Molecular Pathology Biomarkers, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain; (C.L.-S.); (V.G.-M.)
| | - Virginio Garcia-López
- Department of Medical and Surgical Therapeutics, Pharmacology Area, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain;
| | - Ramón Muñoz-Chápuli
- Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, Spain;
| | - Estefanía Lozano-Velasco
- Cardiovascular Research Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain;
| | - Diego Franco
- Cardiovascular Research Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaén, 23071 Jaén, Spain;
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Vancheri C, Morini E, Prandi FR, Barillà F, Romeo F, Novelli G, Amati F. Downregulation of Circulating Hsa-miR-200c-3p Correlates with Dyslipidemia in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021112. [PMID: 36674633 PMCID: PMC9865013 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronary heart disease (CHD), one of the leading causes of disability and death worldwide, is a multifactorial disease whose early diagnosis is demanding. Thus, biomarkers predicting the occurrence of this pathology are of great importance from a clinical and therapeutic standpoint. By means of a pilot study on peripheral blood cells (PBMCs) of subjects with no coronary lesions (CTR; n = 2) and patients with stable CAD (CAD; n = 2), we revealed 61 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) (18 promoter regions, 24 genes and 19 CpG islands) and 14.997 differentially methylated single CpG sites (DMCs) in CAD patients. MiRNA-seq results displayed a peculiar miRNAs profile in CAD patients with 18 upregulated and 32 downregulated miRNAs (FC ≥ ±1.5, p ≤ 0.05). An integrated analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation and miRNA-seq results indicated a significant downregulation of hsa-miR-200c-3p (FCCAD = −2.97, p ≤ 0.05) associated to the hypermethylation of two sites (genomic coordinates: chr12:7073122-7073122 and chr12:7072599-7072599) located intragenic to the miR-200c/141 genomic locus (encoding hsa-miR-200c-3p) (p-value = 0.009) in CAD patients. We extended the hsa-miR-200c-3p expression study in a larger cohort (CAD = 72, CTR = 24), confirming its reduced expression level in CAD patients (FCCAD = −2; p = 0.02). However, when we analyzed the methylation status of the two CpG sites in the same cohort, we failed to identify significant differences. A ROC curve analysis showed good performance of hsa-miR-200c-3p expression level (AUC = 0.65; p = 0.02) in distinguishing CAD from CTR. Moreover, we found a significant positive correlation between hsa-miR-200c-3p expression and creatinine clearance (R2 = 0.212, p < 0.005, Pearson r = 0.461) in CAD patients. Finally, a phenotypic correlation performed in the CAD group revealed lower hsa-miR-200c-3p expression levels in CAD patients affected by dyslipidemia (+DLP, n = 58) (p < 0.01). These results indicate hsa-miR-200c-3p as potential epi-biomarker for the diagnosis and clinical progression of CAD and highlight the importance of deeper studies on the expression of this miRNA to understand its functional role in coronary artery disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Vancheri
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Morini
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Francesco Barillà
- Unit of Cardiology, University Hospital “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Romeo
- Unit of Cardiology, University Hospital “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Faculty of Medicine, Unicamillus-Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Novelli
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Neuromed IRCCS Institute, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Francesca Amati
- Unit of Medical Genetics, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Lozano-Velasco E, Garcia-Padilla C, del Mar Muñoz-Gallardo M, Martinez-Amaro FJ, Caño-Carrillo S, Castillo-Casas JM, Sanchez-Fernandez C, Aranega AE, Franco D. Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Molecular Determinants during Cardiogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052839. [PMID: 35269981 PMCID: PMC8911333 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular development is initiated soon after gastrulation as bilateral precardiac mesoderm is progressively symmetrically determined at both sides of the developing embryo. The precardiac mesoderm subsequently fused at the embryonic midline constituting an embryonic linear heart tube. As development progress, the embryonic heart displays the first sign of left-right asymmetric morphology by the invariably rightward looping of the initial heart tube and prospective embryonic ventricular and atrial chambers emerged. As cardiac development progresses, the atrial and ventricular chambers enlarged and distinct left and right compartments emerge as consequence of the formation of the interatrial and interventricular septa, respectively. The last steps of cardiac morphogenesis are represented by the completion of atrial and ventricular septation, resulting in the configuration of a double circuitry with distinct systemic and pulmonary chambers, each of them with distinct inlets and outlets connections. Over the last decade, our understanding of the contribution of multiple growth factor signaling cascades such as Tgf-beta, Bmp and Wnt signaling as well as of transcriptional regulators to cardiac morphogenesis have greatly enlarged. Recently, a novel layer of complexity has emerged with the discovery of non-coding RNAs, particularly microRNAs and lncRNAs. Herein, we provide a state-of-the-art review of the contribution of non-coding RNAs during cardiac development. microRNAs and lncRNAs have been reported to functional modulate all stages of cardiac morphogenesis, spanning from lateral plate mesoderm formation to outflow tract septation, by modulating major growth factor signaling pathways as well as those transcriptional regulators involved in cardiac development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Lozano-Velasco
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
- Fundación Medina, 18007 Granada, Spain
| | - Carlos Garcia-Padilla
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
- Department of Anatomy, Embryology and Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Extremadura, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
| | - Maria del Mar Muñoz-Gallardo
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
| | - Francisco Jose Martinez-Amaro
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
| | - Sheila Caño-Carrillo
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
| | - Juan Manuel Castillo-Casas
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
| | - Cristina Sanchez-Fernandez
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
- Fundación Medina, 18007 Granada, Spain
| | - Amelia E. Aranega
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
- Fundación Medina, 18007 Granada, Spain
| | - Diego Franco
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaen, Spain; (E.L.-V.); (C.G.-P.); (M.d.M.M.-G.); (F.J.M.-A.); (S.C.-C.); (J.M.C.-C.); (C.S.-F.); (A.E.A.)
- Fundación Medina, 18007 Granada, Spain
- Correspondence:
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Cardiac regeneration following myocardial infarction: the need for regeneration and a review of cardiac stromal cell populations used for transplantation. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:269-281. [PMID: 35129611 PMCID: PMC9042388 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 01/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Myocardial infarction is a leading cause of death globally due to the inability of the adult human heart to regenerate after injury. Cell therapy using cardiac-derived progenitor populations emerged about two decades ago with the aim of replacing cells lost after ischaemic injury. Despite early promise from rodent studies, administration of these populations has not translated to the clinic. We will discuss the need for cardiac regeneration and review the debate surrounding how cardiac progenitor populations exert a therapeutic effect following transplantation into the heart, including their ability to form de novo cardiomyocytes and the release of paracrine factors. We will also discuss limitations hindering the cell therapy field, which include the challenges of performing cell-based clinical trials and the low retention of administered cells, and how future research may overcome them.
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Feng YL, Ke T, Wang GL, Qi HY, Xiao Y. MicroRNA-200c-3p Negatively Regulates ATP2A2 and Promotes the Progression of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma. Biochem Genet 2022; 60:1676-1694. [PMID: 35079913 PMCID: PMC8788908 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-022-10184-w] [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: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
microRNA-200c-3p (miR-200c-3p) has emerged as an important tumor growth regulator. However, its function in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate the role of miR-200c-3p in the progression of human PTC. The miR-200c-3p expression in human PTC tissues and cell lines was evaluated. The target relationship between miR-200c-3p and candidate genes was predicted through bioinformatic analysis and confirmed with a luciferase reporter assay. miRNA or gene expression was altered using transfection, and cell behavior was analyzed using CCK-8, wound healing, Transwell, and colony formation assays. The tumor-promoting effects of miR-200c-3p were evaluated by xenografting tumors with K1 cells in nude mice. The expression level of miR-200c-3p in human PTC tissues and cell lines markedly increased, and this increased expression was significantly associated with a worse overall survival. When inactivated, miR-200c-3p suppressed K1 cells’ malignant behaviors, including decreasing proliferation and attenuating colony formation, migration, and invasion. Its inactivation also attenuated the development of xenografted K1 cells in nude mice. The effects of miR-200c-3p mimics on promoting the malignant behaviors of PTC cells were remarkably reversed by the overexpression of ATP2A2, as a downstream target of miR-200c-3p. miR-200c-3p acts as an oncogenic gene and promotes the malignant biological behaviors of human PTC cells, thereby directly targeting ATP2A2. This regulated axis may be used as a potential therapy of PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Lai Feng
- Department of Oncology, Lianyungang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chaoyang Middle Road, No. 160, Lianyungang, 222004, China
| | - Ting Ke
- Second Department of Endocrinology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xihuamen, Lianhu district, No. 2, Xi'an, 710003, China
| | - Gao-Lei Wang
- Second Department of Endocrinology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xihuamen, Lianhu district, No. 2, Xi'an, 710003, China
| | - Hai-Yan Qi
- Second Department of Endocrinology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xihuamen, Lianhu district, No. 2, Xi'an, 710003, China.
| | - Yang Xiao
- Second Department of Endocrinology, Shaanxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xihuamen, Lianhu district, No. 2, Xi'an, 710003, China.
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