MiR-26b Suppresses the Development of Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection by Regulating HMGA2 and TGF-β/Smad3 Signaling Pathway

LXRα Promotes Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation Through UHRF1 Epigenetic Modification of miR-26b-3p

BACKGROUND

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a severe aortic disease without effective pharmacological approaches. The nuclear hormone receptor LXRα (liver X receptor α), encoded by the NR1H3 gene, serves as a critical transcriptional mediator linked to several vascular pathologies, but its role in AAA remains elusive.

METHODS

Through integrated analyses of human and murine AAA gene expression microarray data sets, we identified NR1H3 as a candidate gene regulating AAA formation. To investigate the role of LXRα in AAA formation, we used global Nr1h3-knockout and vascular smooth muscle cell-specific Nr1h3-knockout mice in 2 AAA mouse models induced with angiotensin II (1000 ng·kg·min; 28 days) or calcium chloride (CaCl2; 0.5 mol/L; 42 days).

RESULTS

Upregulated LXRα was observed in the aortas of patients with AAA and in angiotensin II- or CaCl2-treated mice. Global or vascular smooth muscle cell-specific Nr1h3 knockout inhibited AAA formation in 2 mouse models. Loss of LXRα function prevented extracellular matrix degeneration, inflammation, and vascular smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching. Uhrf1, an epigenetic master regulator, was identified as a direct target gene of LXRα by integrated analysis of transcriptome sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing. Susceptibility to AAA development was consistently enhanced by UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like containing PHD and RING finger domains 1) in both angiotensin II- and CaCl2-induced mouse models. We then determined the CpG methylation status and promoter accessibility of UHRF1-mediated genes using CUT&Tag (cleavage under targets and tagmentation), RRBS (reduced representation bisulfite sequencing), and ATAC-seq (assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing) in vascular smooth muscle cells, which revealed that the recruitment of UHRF1 to the promoter of miR-26b led to DNA hypermethylation accompanied by relatively closed chromatin states, and caused downregulation of miR-26b expression in AAA. Regarding clinical significance, we found that underexpression of miR-26b-3p correlated with high risk in patients with AAA. Maintaining miR-26b-3p expression prevented AAA progression and alleviated the overall pathological process.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reveals a pivotal role of the LXRα/UHRF1/miR-26b-3p axis in AAA and provides potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AAA.

High glucose promotes atherosclerosis by regulating miRNA let7d-5p level

BACKGROUND

MiRNA let7d-5p has been recently reported to be abnormally expressed in diabetes-associated atherosclerosis (AS). However, it still remains unknown how let7d-5p contributes to the process of atherosclerosis.

METHODS

Twenty fresh tissues and a total of 28 wax block specimens from carotid endarterectomy procedures were obtained from the Luoyang Central Hospital affiliated to Zhengzhou University. The expression of let7d-5p was assessed using quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). A series of in vitro experiments was used to determine the roles of let7d-5p knockdown and overexpression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

RESULTS

We discovered that the carotid plaques from diabetic patients had lower expression levels of miR let7d-5p. In VSMCs, the expression of miRNA let7d-5p was significantly lower in high glucose conditions compared with low glucose situations. The proliferation and migration of VSMCs were also inhibited by the overexpression of let7d-5p, whereas the opposite was true when let7d-5p was inhibited, according to gain and loss of function studies. Mechanically, let7d-5p might activate the GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway via binding to the high mobility group AT-Hook 2 (HMGA2) mRNA in VSMCs. Additionally, GLP-1RA liraglutide may prevent the migration and proliferation of VSMCs by raising let7d-5p levels.

CONCLUSIONS

High glucose stimulated the proliferation and migration of VSMCs by regulating the let7d-5p/HMGA2/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway, and liraglutide may slow atherosclerosis by increasing the levels of miR let7d-5p.

Diagnostic biomarkers and aortic dissection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Aortic dissection (AD) is a serious and fatal vascular disease. The earlier the condition of AD patients can be assessed precisely, the more scientifically controlled the patient's condition will be. Therefore, timely and accurate diagnosis is significant for AD. Blood biomarker testing as a method of liquid biopsy can improve the diagnostic efficiency of AD. This study conducted a systematic review of the current blood diagnostic biomarkers of AD.

METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to January 1, 2023, using the terms "aortic dissection", "serum", "plasma" and "diagnosis". Stata 12.0 software was used to perform Random effects meta-analysis was performed using Stata 12.0 software to determine the effect sizes and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Then, a summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) curve was drawn, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated.

RESULTS

D-dimer had the best sensitivity and AUC for AD, with values of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.93-0.98) and 0.95 (95% CI: 0.93-0.97), respectively. The sensitivity and AUC values for D-dimer with a cut-off value of 500 ng/mL were 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95-0.99) and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.92-0.96), respectively. In contrast, microRNA had a better specificity value for AD, at 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73-0.83).

CONCLUSIONS

D-dimer and microRNA have good accuracy in the diagnosis of AD, but the specificity of D-dimer is worse, and studies of microRNA are insufficient. The combination of different biomarkers can improve the diagnostic accuracy. Other blood biomarkers are related to the pathological progression of AD and can be selected according to pathological progress.

LINC02015 modulates the cell proliferation and apoptosis of aortic vascular smooth muscle cells by transcriptional regulation and protein interaction network

Long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 2015 (LINC02015) is a long non-coding RNA that has been found elevated in various cell proliferation-related diseases. However, the functions and interactive mechanism of LINC02015 remain unknown. This study aimed to explore the role of LINC02015 in the cell proliferation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to explain the pathogenesis of aortic diseases. Ascending aorta samples and angiotensin-II (AT-II) treated primary human aortic VSMCs (HAVSMCs) were used to evaluate the LINC02015 expression. RNA sequencing, chromatin isolation by RNA purification sequencing, RNA pull-down, and mass spectrometry (MS) were applied to explore the potential interacting mechanisms. LINC02015 expression was found elevated in aortic dissection and AT-II-treated HAVSMCs. Cell proliferation and cell cycle were activated in HAVSMCs with LINC02015 knockdown. The cyclins family and caspase family were found to participate in regulating the cell cycle and apoptosis via the NF-κB signaling pathway. RXRA was discovered as a possible hub gene for LINC02015 transcriptional regulating networks. Besides, the protein interaction network of LINC02015 was revealed with candidate regulating molecules. It was concluded that the knockdown of LINC02015 could promote cell proliferation and inhibit the apoptosis of HAVSMCs through an RXRA-related transcriptional regulation network, which could provide a potential therapeutic target for aortic diseases.

MicroRNA regulation of phenotypic transformations in vascular smooth muscle: relevance to vascular remodeling

Alterations in the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) phenotype play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and restenosis after angioplasty. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous noncoding RNAs (approximately 19-25 nucleotides in length) that function as regulators in various physiological and pathophysiological events. Recent studies have suggested that aberrant miRNAs' expression might underlie VSMC phenotypic transformation, appearing to regulate the phenotypic transformations of VSMCs by targeting specific genes that either participate in the maintenance of the contractile phenotype or contribute to the transformation to alternate phenotypes, and affecting atherosclerosis, hypertension, and coronary artery disease by altering VSMC proliferation, migration, differentiation, inflammation, calcification, oxidative stress, and apoptosis, suggesting an important regulatory role in vascular remodeling for maintaining vascular homeostasis. This review outlines recent progress in the discovery of miRNAs and elucidation of their mechanisms of action and functions in VSMC phenotypic regulation. Importantly, as the literature supports roles for miRNAs in modulating vascular remodeling and for maintaining vascular homeostasis, this area of research will likely provide new insights into clinical diagnosis and prognosis and ultimately facilitate the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Long non-coding RNAs: The growth controller of vascular smooth muscle cells in cardiovascular diseases

The active proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells supports the healing of vessel damage while their abnormal aggression or destitution contribute to the aberrant intima-medial structure and function in various cardiovascular diseases, so the understanding of the proliferation disorders of vascular smooth muscle cell and the related mechanism is the basis of effective intervention and control for cardiovascular diseases. Recently, long non-coding RNAs have stood out as upstream switchers for multiple proliferative signaling pathways and molecules, and many of them have been shown to conduce to the dysregulated proliferation and apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells under various pathogenic stimuli. This article discusses the long non-coding RNAs disclosed and linked to atherosclerosis, pulmonary hypertension, and aneurysms, and focuses upon their modulation of vascular smooth muscle cell population affecting three deadly cardiovascular diseases.

Potential biomarkers of aortic dissection based on expression network analysis

Background

Aortic dissection (AD) is a rare disease with severe morbidity and high mortality. Presently, the pathogenesis of aortic dissection is still not completely clear, and studying its pathogenesis will have important clinical significance.

Methods

We downloaded 28 samples from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (Accession numbers: GSE147026 and GSE190635), including 14 aortic dissection samples and 14 healthy controls (HC) samples. The Limma package was used to screen differentially expressed genes. The StarBasev2.0 tool was used to predict the upstream molecular circRNA of the selected miRNAs, and Cytoscape software was used to process the obtained data. STRING database was used to analyze the interacting protein pairs of differentially expressed genes under medium filtration conditions. The R package "org.hs.eg.db" was used for functional enrichment analysis.

Results

Two hundred genes associated with aortic dissection were screened. Functional enrichment analysis was performed based on these 200 genes. At the same time, 2720 paired miRNAs were predicted based on these 200 genes, among which hsa-miR-650, hsa-miR-625-5p, hsa-miR-491-5p and hsa-miR-760 paired mRNAs were the most. Based on these four miRNAs, 7106 pairs of circRNAs were predicted to be paired with them. The genes most related to these four miRNAs were screened from 200 differentially expressed genes (CDH2, AKT1, WNT5A, ADRB2, GNAI1, GNAI2, HGF, MCAM, DKK2, ISL1).

Conclusions

The study demonstrates that miRNA-associated circRNA-mRNA networks are altered in AD, implying that miRNA may play a crucial role in regulating the onset and progression of AD. It may become a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of AD.

EphrinB2 promotes the human aortic smooth muscle cell growth and migration via mediating F-actin remodeling

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the potential effect of EphrinB2 in human thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) and to illustrate the mechanisms governing the role of EphrinB2 in the growth of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC).

METHODS

In the study, EphrinB2 expression was investigated by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in 12 pairs of TAD and adjacent human tissues. HASMCs were used for in vitro experiments. Next, EphrinB2 overexpression and depletion in HASMCs were established by EphrinB2-overexpressing vectors and small interfering RNA, respectively. The transfection efficiency was evaluated by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effects of overexpression and depletion of EphrinB2 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were tested in vitro. Cell Counting Kit-8, flow cytometry and transwell migration/invasion, and wound healing assay were used to explore the function of EphrinB2 on HASMC cell lines. The relationship between EphrinB2 and F-actin was assessed by Western blot, immunofluorescence, and Co-IP.

RESULTS

We found that EphrinB2 was a prognostic biomarker of TAD patients. Moreover, EphrinB2 expression negatively correlated to aortic dissection tissues, and disease incidence of males, suggesting that EphrinB2 might act as a TAD suppressor by promoting proliferation or decreasing apoptosis in HASMC. Next, over-expression of EphrinB2 in HASMC lines drove cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and inhibited apoptosis while knockdown EphrinB2 showed the opposite phenomenon, respectively. Furthermore, the level of F-actin in mRNA, protein, and distribution in HASMC cell lines highly matched with the expression of EphrinB2, which indicated that EphrinB2 could mediate the HASMC cytoskeleton via inducing F-actin.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our results first provided the pivotal role of EphrinB2 in HASMC proliferation initiated by mediating F-actin and demonstrated a prognostic biomarker and the potential targets for therapy to prevent thoracic aortic dissection.

Identification of pathological-related and diagnostic potential circular RNAs in Stanford type A aortic dissection

Introduction

Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) is one of the lethal macrovascular diseases caused by the invasion of blood into the media layer of ascending aortic wall. Inflammation, smooth muscle dysfunction, and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation were regarded as the major pathology in affected tissue. However, the expression pattern and its regulation especially through circular RNAs (circRNAs) as an overall characteristic of TAAD molecular pathology remain unclear.

Methods

We employed CIRCexplorer2 to identify circRNAs based on the RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of human ascending aortic tissues to systematically assess the role of circRNA in the massive alterations of gene expression in TAAD aortas. The key circRNAs were determined by LASSO model and functionally annotated by competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network and co-analysis with mRNA profile. The expression level and diagnostic capability of the 4 key circRNAs in peripheral serum were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results

The 4 key circRNAs, namely circPTGR1 (chr9:114341075-114348445[-]), circNOX4 (chr11:89069012-89106660[-]), circAMN1 (chr12:31854796-31862359[-]) and circUSP3 (chr15:63845913-63855207[+]), demonstrated a high power to discriminate between TAAD and control tissues, suggesting that these molecules stand for a major difference between the tissues at gene regulation level. Functionally, the ceRNA network of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA predicted by the online databases, combining gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and cell component prediction, revealed that the identified circRNAs covered all the aspects of primary TAAD pathology, centralized with increasing inflammatory factors and cells, and ECM destruction and loss of vascular inherent cells along with the circRNAs. Importantly, we validated the high concentration and diagnostic capability of the 4 key circRNAs in the peripheral serum in TAAD patients.

Discussion

This study reinforces the vital status of circRNAs in TAAD and the possibility of serving as promising diagnostic biomarkers.

Differences in MicroRNA Expression in Pericoronary Adipose Tissue in Coronary Artery Disease Compared to Severe Valve Dysfunction

Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) is a source of microRNAs (miRs) that act as messengers for intercellular communication. We investigated whether the PCAT surrounding significant coronary atherosclerotic lesions shows specific miR expression patterns compared with PCAT surrounding plaque-free segments. We included 49 patients with 3-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) and 19 patients with severe valvular disease but no CAD, who underwent elective cardiac surgery. The PCAT was harvested from two sites: adjacent to a significant atherosclerotic coronary lesion and from plaque-free segments. miR-133a, miR-21, miR-26b, miR-9, and miR-143 levels in PCAT cells were quantified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (data expressed as arbitrary units). Expression of miR-133, miR-21, and miR-26b in adipose tissue at a site without atherosclerotic lesion was much lower in patients with CAD than in those without CAD (0.82 ± 1.37 vs 1.86 ± 0.52, P < .001, 0.45 ± 1.3 vs 1.51 ± 1.11, P < .001, 0.3 ± 1.25 vs 1.2 ± 0.73, P = .02, respectively). In addition, miR-133, miR-21, and miR-143 in CAD patients showed significantly greater expression in PCAT from atherosclerotic lesion compared with plaque-free segments (1.32 ± 0.96 vs 0.82 ± 0.37 (P = .011), 0.91 ± 1.7 vs 0.3 ± 1.25 (P = .012), 1.2 ± 1.59 vs 0.43 ± 0.54 (P < .001), respectively). Our findings open new perspectives for the role of PCAT in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and should be further investigated.

Emerging Role of Non-Coding RNAs in Aortic Dissection

Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal cardiovascular acute disease with high incidence and mortality, and it seriously threatens patients’ lives and health. The pathogenesis of AD mainly includes vascular inflammation, extracellular matrix degradation, and phenotypic conversion as well as apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs); however, its detailed mechanisms are still not fully elucidated. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are an emerging class of RNA molecules without protein-coding ability, and they play crucial roles in the progression of many diseases, including AD. A growing number of studies have shown that the dysregulation of ncRNAs contributes to the occurrence and development of AD by modulating the expression of specific target genes or the activity of related proteins. In addition, some ncRNAs exhibit great potential as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AD treatment. In this review, we systematically summarize the recent findings on the underlying mechanism of ncRNA involved in AD regulation and highlight their clinical application as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in AD treatment. The information reviewed here will be of great benefit to the development of ncRNA-based therapeutic strategies for AD patients.

miR-564: A potential regulator of vascular smooth muscle cells and therapeutic target for aortic dissection

BACKGROUND

Aortic dissection (AD) is a lethal cardiac disorder and one of the most concerning cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Increasing evidence indicates that human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD, especially related to phenotypic transformation. And notablely, the development of AD is also accompanied by inflammation.

METHODS

By using quantitative real-time PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), we detected the expression levels of miR-564 in vitro and in vivo. The effects of miR-564 proliferation and migration were investigated in VSMCs. The downstream targets of miR-564 were found by bioinformatics analyse, and verified in the regulation on VSMCs. An AD murine model was constructed and clinical evaluation was performed to explore the critical roles of miR-564 in vivo. At the same time, the level of inflammation was detected using quantitative real-time PCR and immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

Overexpression of miR-564 inhibited cell proliferation and migration, as well as phenotype switch, with or without platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) treatment, whereas downregulation of miR-564 led to opposite results. Mechanistically, miR-564 directly interacted with the target genes proto-oncogene (SKI) and neurogranin (NRGN) to regulate the biological functions of VSMCs. In particular, animal experiments demonstrated that miR-564 can alleviate the progression of AD mainly through mediating phenotypic swithing and inflammation which was consistent with clinical evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study identified miR-564 as a significant molecule that attenuates AD progression by inhibiting inflammation and VSMCs proliferation, migration and phenotypic transformation, suggesting that it may be a potential therapeutic target for AD.

Association of TGF-β Canonical Signaling-Related Core Genes With Aortic Aneurysms and Aortic Dissections

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling is essential for the maintenance of the normal structure and function of the aorta. It includes SMAD-dependent canonical pathways and noncanonical signaling pathways. Accumulated genetic evidence has shown that TGF-β canonical signaling-related genes have key roles in aortic aneurysms (AAs) and aortic dissections and many gene mutations have been identified in patients, such as those for transforming growth factor-beta receptor one TGFBR1, TGFBR2, SMAD2, SMAD3, SMAD4, and SMAD6. Aortic specimens from patients with these mutations often show paradoxically enhanced TGF-β signaling. Some hypotheses have been proposed and new AA models in mice have been constructed to reveal new mechanisms, but the role of TGF-β signaling in AAs is controversial. In this review, we focus mainly on the role of canonical signaling-related core genes in diseases of the aorta, as well as recent advances in gene-mutation detection, animal models, and in vitro studies.

Non-coding RNAs Regulate the Pathogenesis of Aortic Dissection

Aortic dissection (AD) is a fatal cardiovascular disease. It is caused by a rupture of the aortic intima or bleeding of the aortic wall that leads to the separation of different aortic wall layers. Patients with untreated AD have a mortality rate of 1–2% per hour after symptom onset. Therefore, effective biomarkers and therapeutic targets are needed to reduce AD-associated mortality. With the development of molecular technology, researchers have begun to explore the pathogenesis of AD at gene and protein levels, and have made some progress, but the pathogenesis of AD remains unclear. Non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs, have been identified as basic regulators of gene expression and are found to play a key role in the pathogenesis of AD. Thus, providing a theoretical basis for developing these non-coding RNAs as clinical biomarkers and new therapeutic targets for AD in the future. Previous studies on the pathogenesis of AD focused on miRNAs, but recently, there have been an increasing number of studies that explore the role of lncRNAs, and circRNAs in AD. This review summarizes the existing knowledge on the roles of various non-coding RNAs in the pathogenesis of AD, discusses their potential role as clinical biomarkers and therapeutic targets, states the limitations of existing evidence, and recommends future avenues of research on the pathogenesis of AD.

The role of vascular smooth muscle cells in the development of aortic aneurysms and dissections

BACKGROUND

Aortic aneurysms (AA) are pathological dilations of the aorta, associated with an overall mortality rate up to 90% in case of rupture. In addition to dilation, the aortic layers can separate by a tear within the layers, defined as aortic dissections (AD). Vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMC) are the predominant cell type within the aortic wall and dysregulation of vSMC functions contributes to AA and AD development and progression. However, since the exact underlying mechanism is poorly understood, finding potential therapeutic targets for AA and AD is challenging and surgery remains the only treatment option.

METHODS

In this review, we summarize current knowledge about vSMC functions within the aortic wall and give an overview of how vSMC functions are altered in AA and AD pathogenesis, organized per anatomical location (abdominal or thoracic aorta).

RESULTS

Important functions of vSMC in healthy or diseased conditions are apoptosis, phenotypic switch, extracellular matrix regeneration and degradation, proliferation and contractility. Stressors within the aortic wall, including inflammatory cell infiltration and (epi)genetic changes, modulate vSMC functions and cause disturbance of processes within vSMC, such as changes in TGF-β signalling and regulatory RNA expression.

CONCLUSION

This review underscores a central role of vSMC dysfunction in abdominal and thoracic AA and AD development and progression. Further research focused on vSMC dysfunction in the aortic wall is necessary to find potential targets for noninvasive AA and AD treatment options.

Long non-coding RNA HIF1A-AS2 modulates the proliferation, migration, and phenotypic switch of aortic smooth muscle cells in aortic dissection via sponging microRNA-33b

Aortic dissection (AD), also known as aortic dissecting aneurysm, is one of the most common and dangerous cardiovascular diseases with high morbidity and mortality. This study was aimed to investigate the functional role of long non-coding RNA Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha-antisense RNA 2 (lncRNA HIF1A-AS2) in AD. An in vitro model of AD was established by platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB)-mediated human aortic Smooth Muscle Cells (SMCs). HIF1A-AS2 expression in human AD tissues was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays, followed by investigation of biological roles of HIF1A-AS2 in AD development by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), immunofluorescence, and transwell assays. Additionally, the correlation between HIF1A-AS2, miR-33b, and high mobility group AT-hook2 (HMGA2) were identified by RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays. Results showed that HIF1A-AS2 was obviously increased, while the contractile-phenotype markers of vascular SMCs were significantly decreased in human AD tissues, when compared to normal tissues. Inhibition of HIF1A-AS2 attenuated SMCs proliferation and migration, whereas enhanced the phenotypic switch under the stimulation of PDGF-BB. Results from RIP, RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that miR-33b directly bound with HIF1A-AS2, and HIF1A-AS2 silencing suppressed the expression of HMGA2, which was induced by miR-33b inhibitor. In conclusion, knockdown of HIF1A-AS2 suppressed the proliferation and migration, while promoted the phenotypic switching of SMCs through miR-33b/HMGA2 axis, which laid a theoretical foundation for understanding the development of AD and shed light on a potential target for AD treatment.

Integrated analysis and the identification of a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysm

Background

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a disease commonly seen in the elderly. The aneurysm diameter increases yearly, and the larger the AAA the higher the risk of rupture, increasing the risk of death. However, there are no current effective interventions in the early stages of AAA.

Methods

Four gene expression profiling datasets, including 23 normal artery (NOR) tissue samples and 97 AAA tissue samples, were integrated in order to explore potential molecular biological targets for early intervention. After preprocessing, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between AAA and NOR were identified using LIMMA package. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis were conducted using the DAVID database. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed and hub genes were identified using the STRING database and plugins in Cytoscape. A circular RNA (circRNA) profile of four NOR tissues versus four AAA tissues was then reanalyzed. A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction network was constructed after predictions were made using the Targetscan and Circinteractome databases.

Results

A total of 440 DEGs (263 up-regulated and 177 down-regulated) were identified in the AAA group, compared with the NOR group. The majority were associated with the extracellular matrix, tumor necrosis factor-α, and transforming growth factor-β. Ten hub gene-encoded proteins (namely IL6, RPS27A, JUN, UBC, UBA52, FOS, IL1B, MMP9, SPP1 and CCL2) coupled with a higher degree of connectivity hub were identified after protein‐protein interaction network analysis. Our results, in combination with the results of previous studies revealed that miR-635, miR-527, miR-520h, miR-938 and miR-518a-5p may be affected by circ_0005073 and impact the expression of hub genes such as CCL2, SPP1 and UBA52. The miR-1206 may also be affected by circ_0090069 and impact RPS27A expression.

Conclusions

This circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network may perform critical roles in AAA and may be a novel target for early intervention.

WITHDRAWN: Circ-LAMP2 regulates aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and apoptosis in thoracic aortic aneurysm via modulation of autophagy and NF-κB pathway

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Risk factors of continuous renal replacement therapy following total aortic arch replacement under moderate hypothermia

BACKGROUND

Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) has a sudden onset and high mortality, and emergency total aortic arch replacement (TAAR) is the main treatment option for TAAD. The mortality rate of patients with postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) combined with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is remarkable higher than that of patients without AKI. However, incidence of AKI and risk factors for CRRT following TAAR isn't entirely understood.

METHODS

From October 2018 to March 2021, all patients with Stanford type A dissection who underwent total arch replacement surgery under MHCA were enrolled. According to whether CRRT treatment was performed, participants were divided into a CRRT group (n=49) and control group (n=72). Both groups incorporated the brain protection strategy of moderate hypothermia, and the left common carotid artery and the innominate artery were perfused anteriorly. Relevant medical data was collected.

RESULTS

Age, gender, and a history of smoking and drinking were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P>0.1). There were statistical differences between the 2 groups in aortic sinus diameter and Bentall procedure (P≤0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that fresh frozen plasma was a protective factor (P<0.05) and the intraoperative transfusion volume of red blood cells, platelets, fresh frozen plasma, autologous blood used for intraoperative bleeding, aortic sinus diameter, and Bentall procedure were risk factors (P<0.1). Multivariate analysis showed that the Bentall procedure and intraoperative bleeding were risk factors for CRRT (P<0.05), and the aortic sinus diameter and intraoperative transfusion score were also risk factors for CRRT (P<0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis demonstrated that the model of aortic sinus diameter and intraoperative transfusion score had more significantly different discriminatory powers.

CONCLUSIONS

The Bentall procedure, intraoperative bleeding, aortic sinus diameter, and intraoperative transfusion score were risk factors for postoperative CRRT. The model of aortic sinus diameter and intraoperative transfusion score had more significantly different discriminatory powers.

SHED aggregate exosomes shuttled miR-26a promote angiogenesis in pulp regeneration via TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signalling

OBJECTIVES

Pulp regeneration brings big challenges for clinicians, and vascularization is considered as its determining factor. We previously accomplished pulp regeneration with autologous stem cells from deciduous teeth (SHED) aggregates implantation in teenager patients, however, the underlying mechanism needs to be clarified for regenerating pulp in adults. Serving as an important effector of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), exosomes have been reported to promote angiogenesis and tissue regeneration effectively. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of SHED aggregate-derived exosomes (SA-Exo) in the angiogenesis of pulp regeneration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We extracted exosomes from SHED aggregates and utilized them in the pulp regeneration animal model. The pro-angiogenetic effects of SA-Exo on SHED and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were evaluated. The related mechanisms were further investigated.

RESULTS

We firstly found that SA-Exo significantly improved pulp tissue regeneration and angiogenesis in vivo. Next, we found that SA-Exo promoted SHED endothelial differentiation and enhanced the angiogenic ability of HUVECs, as indicated by the in vitro tube formation assay. Mechanistically, miR-26a, which is enriched in SA-Exo, improved angiogenesis both in SHED and HUVECs via regulating TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signalling.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, these data reveal that SA-Exo shuttled miR-26a promotes angiogenesis via TGF-β/SMAD2/3 signalling contributing to SHED aggregate-based pulp tissue regeneration. These novel insights into SA-Exo may facilitate the development of new strategies for pulp regeneration.

Non-coding RNAs in aortic dissection: From biomarkers to therapeutic targets

Aortic dissection (AD) is the rupture of the aortic intima, causing the blood in the cavity to enter the middle of the arterial wall. Without urgent and proper treatment, the mortality rate increases to 50% within 48 hours. Most patients present with acute onset of symptoms, including sudden severe pain and complex and variable clinical manifestations, which can be easily misdiagnosed. Despite this, the molecular mechanisms underlying AD are still unknown. Recently, non‐coding RNAs have emerged as novel regulators of gene expression. Previous studies have proven that ncRNAs can regulate several cardiovascular diseases; therefore, their potential as clinical biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets for AD has aroused widespread interest. To date, several studies have reported that microRNAs are crucially involved in AD progression. Additionally, several long non‐coding RNAs and circular RNAs have been found to be differentially expressed in AD samples, suggesting their potential roles in vascular physiology and disease. In this review, we discuss the functions of ncRNAs in AD pathophysiology and highlight their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AD. Meanwhile, we present the animal models previously used for AD research, as well as the specific methods for constructing mouse or rat AD models.