Overexpression of GAS5 inhibits abnormal activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway in myocardial tissues of rats with coronary artery disease

Oral biofluid levels of Activin-A and interleukin-1beta in stage III periodontitis

OBJECTIVES

Activin-A belongs to the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily and is a multifunctional cytokine that plays a role in inflammation, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration. Proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) can increase Activin-A expression in various cell types. This study aims to evaluate gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and salivary Activin-A and IL-β levels in stage III periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

23 patients with stage III periodontitis, 26 with gingivitis and 26 periodontally healthy individuals were included. Full-mouth clinical periodontal indices were recorded, unstimulated whole saliva and GCF samples were obtained, Activin-A and IL-1β total amounts were determined by ELISA. Statistical comparisons were performed using non-parametric tests. Receiver operating characteristics curve was used for estimating the area under the curve (AUC).

RESULTS

Periodontitis group exhibited significantly lower GCF Activin-A levels but higher IL-1β levels than the periodontally healthy group (p < 0.05). Gingivitis group had similar GCF Activin-A and IL-1β levels to the periodontitis and periodontally healthy groups (p > 0.05). Salivary Activin-A and IL-1β concentrations were similar among study groups (p > 0.05). GCF Activin-A level showed an excellent diagnostic performance (an AUC value of 0.82 with 87% sensitivity) to discriminate periodontitis from periodontal health.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first time, this study demonstrated oral biofluid levels of Activin-A in periodontal health and diseases. Within the limits of the study, it might be suggested that diseased sites in periodontitis are associated with reduced Activin-A and increased IL-1β levels in GCF.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Reduced GCF Activin-A levels and the accompanying increase in IL-1β might be associated with diseased sites in stage III periodontitis.

Exosomal miR-320e through wnt2targeted inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway allevisate cerebral small vessel disease and cognitive impairment

BACKGROUND

Exosomal miRNAs play crucial roles in many central nervous system diseases. Cerebral small vessel disease (CVSD) is a small vessel disease that is affected by various factors. This study aimed to investigate the role of exosomal miR-320e in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway stimulated by oxidative stress and assess its clinical correlation with psychiatric symptoms in patients with CVSD.

AIM

To explore whether exosomal miR-320e could suppress the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and play a protective role in CVSD progression, as well as examine its potential correlation with cognitive impairment and depression in patients with CVSD.

METHODS

Differentially expressed exosomal miRNAs were filtered by sequencing plasma exosomes from patients with CVSD and healthy controls. Bioinformatics and dual luciferase analyses were used to confirm the binding of miR-320e to Wnt2, and the mRNA and protein levels of downstream components in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were evaluated when overexpressed or with knockdown of miR-320e under H2O2-induced oxidative stress. In addition, Wnt2-targeting siRNA was used to confirm the role of miR-320e in the Wnt2-mediated inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. A retrospective analysis was conducted among patients with CVSD to confirm the correlation between miR-320e expression and the severity of cognitive impairment and depression, which were quantified using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)/Executive Function Assessment (EFA), and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD)/Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), respectively.

RESULTS

High-throughput sequencing revealed that exosomal miR-320e was downregulated in patients with CVSD. Bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase reporter gene experiments showed that exosomal miR-320e inhibited the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in response to oxidative stress by targeting the 3' noncoding region of Wnt2. Uptake of exosomes carrying miR-320e into endothelial cells could also target Wnt2 and inhibit the Wnt2/β-catenin pathway. Elevated miR-320e expression may protect patients with CVSD from relatively severe cognitive impairment and depression, as it was found to have a positive correlation with the MoCA/EFA and HAMD/BDI scores.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that exosomal miR-320e suppresses the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and may play a protective role in CVSD progression.

Aberrant promoter methylation of Wnt inhibitory factor-1 gene is a potential target for treating psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease mediated by immune and complex genetic factors. The wingless-related integration site (Wnt) signaling pathway plays a critical role in psoriasis, but how the Wnt pathway is regulated in psoriatic skin and whether it can be exploited for therapeutic benefits is unclear. By comparing biopsies from healthy and psoriatic skin, we found that Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (WIF1), an inhibitor of Wnt signaling, showed reduced expression at both mRNA and protein levels in psoriatic skin. We then quantified methylation of the WIF1 gene promoter by DNA methylation sequencing and found that the WIF1 promoter region was hypermethylated. We further showed that recombinant WIF1 injection ameliorates the imiquimod (IMQ) mouse model of psoriasis. We also revealed that treatment with the DNA methylation inhibitor, decitabine, inhibited proliferation of immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) in a psoriasis-like inflammatory environment. Finally, we applied decitabine to the IMQ mouse model and demonstrated that treatment of mice with decitabine ameliorates the disease. Therefore, our study reveals that methylation of the WIF1 gene is associated with the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and suggests that pharmacological targeting of DNA methylation is a potential treatment strategy for psoriasis.

New developments in non-exosomal and exosomal ncRNAs in coronary artery disease

Aim & methods: Non-exosomal and exosomal ncRNAs have been reported to be involved in the regulation of coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, to explore the biological effects of non-exosomal/exosomal ncRNAs in CAD, the authors searched for studies published in the last 3 years on these ncRNAs in CAD and summarized their functions and mechanisms. Results: The authors summarized 120 non-exosomal ncRNAs capable of regulating CAD progression. In clinical studies, 47 non-exosomal and nine exosomal ncRNAs were able to serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of CAD. Conclusion: Non-exosomal/exosomal ncRNAs are not only able to serve as biomarkers for CAD diagnosis but can also regulate CAD progression through ceRNA mechanisms and are a potential target for early clinical intervention in CAD.

Polyphyllin I improves myocardial damage in coronary artery disease via modulating lipid metabolism and myocardial apoptosis

Polyphyllin I (PPI) is a famous traditional medicine ingredient, which has been explored in wide range of areas. Nevertheless, whether PPI exerts any functions in coronary artery disease (CAD) is still uncertified. Herein, we probed the effect and mechanism of PPI on lipid metabolism and myocardial dysfunction in myocardial cells and CAD rat model. Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-treated H9c2 cells model was constructed for the in vitro experiments, and CAD model in vivo was established by high-fat feeding. After management with PPI, the correlated factors of lipid metabolism and myocardial function were investigated. The apoptosis of myocardial cells was assessed by Annexin V-FITC/PI kit and TUNEL staining. The apoptosis-associated factors (caspase 3, cleaved caspase 3, Bax, and Bcl-2) were tested by Western blot analysis. The MEK/ERK inhibitor was applied and the functions of MEK/ERK pathway in myocardial damage were investigated. H/R-treated H9c2 cells model was constructed for the in vitro experiments, and CAD model in vivo was established by high-fat feeding. After management with PPI, the correlated factors of lipid metabolism and myocardial function were investigated. The apoptosis of myocardial cells was assessed by Annexin V-FITC/PI kit and TUNEL staining. The apoptosis-associated factors (caspase 3, cleaved caspase 3, Bax, and Bcl-2) were tested by Western blot analysis. The MEK/ERK inhibitor was applied and the functions of MEK/ERK pathway in myocardial damage were investigated. PPI improved lipid metabolism disorder in H/R-induced H9c2 cells or in CAD rat model. Additionally, PPI attenuated myocardial dysfunction in CAD rats via enhancing left ventricular systolic pressure, maximum rate of change of left ventricular pressure (±dp/dt_max ), and arterial blood flow (CF). The apoptosis of myocardial cells was lessened by PPI management, which was further verified by reducing Bax and cleaved caspase 3 expression. Furthermore, PD0325901 (MEK/ERK inhibitor) weakened the effect of PPI on myocardial dysfunction, lipid metabolism, and myocardial cell apoptosis in CAD rats. The research confirmed the protective effect of PPI on myocardial damage in CAD, which was regulated by MEK/ERK pathway.

Knockdown of lncRNA H19 alleviates ox-LDL-induced HCAECs inflammation and injury by mediating miR-20a-5p/HDAC4 axis

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) seriously disturbs the life of people. LncRNA H19 is reported to promote the progression of CAD; Nevertheless, the detailed mechanism by which H19 modulates CAD development is unclear.

METHODS

Clinical samples of CAD patients were collected, meanwhile we established in vitro and in vivo models of CAD by treating HCAECs with ox-LDL and feeding ApoE^-/- mice with high fat diets (HFD). MTT assay was adopted to assess the cell viability. Transwell detection was applied to test the migration, and apoptosis was tested by flow cytometry. The levels of inflammatory cytokines were examined by ELISA. The relation among H19, miR-20a-5p and HDAC4 was explored by dual luciferase reporter and RIP assay.

RESULTS

H19 and HDAC4 levels were elevated, while miR-20a-5p was reduced in plasma of CAD patients and ox-LDL-treated HCAECs. ox-LDL increased H19 level and induced apoptosis and inflammation in HCAECs, while silencing of H19 rescued this phenomenon. In addition, the level of H19 was negatively correlated with miR-20a-5p, and miR-20a-5p inhibitor restored the effect of H19 silencing on HCAECs function. HDAC4 was the downstream mRNA of miR-20a-5p, and miR-20a-5p upregulation reversed ox-LDL-induced HCAECs injury through targeting HDAC4. Furthermore, H19 silencing significantly alleviated the coronary atherosclerotic plaques and inhibited the inflammatory responses in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

We proved that knockdown of H19 alleviated ox-LDL-induced HCAECs injury via miR-20a-5p/HDAC4 axis, which might provide a new tactics against CAD.

Effect of berberine on global modulation of lncRNAs and mRNAs expression profiles in patients with stable coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid found in the Berberis species. It was found to have protected effects in cardiovascular diseases. Here, we investigated the effect the regulatory function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) during the treatment of stable coronary heart disease (CHD) using BBR. We performed microarray analyses to identify differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and mRNAs between whole blood samples from 5 patients with stable CHD taking BBR and 5 no BBR volunteers. DE lncRNAs and mRNAs were validated by quantitative real-time PCR.

RESULTS

A total of 1703 DE lncRNAs and 912 DE mRNAs were identified. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis indicated DE mRNAs might be associated with mammalian target of rapamycin and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. These pathways may be involved in the healing process after CHD. To study the relationship between mRNAs encoding transcription factors (DNA damage inducible transcript 3, sal-like protein 4 and estrogen receptor alpha gene) and CHD related de mRNAs, we performed protein and protein interaction analysis on their corresponding proteins. AKT and apoptosis pathway were significant enriched in protein and protein interaction network. BBR may affect downstream apoptosis pathways through DNA damage inducible transcript 3, sal-like protein 4 and estrogen receptor alpha gene. Growth arrest-specific transcript 5 might regulate CHD-related mRNAs through competing endogenous RNA mechanism and may be the downstream target gene regulated by BBR. Verified by the quantitative real-time PCR, we identified 8 DE lncRNAs that may relate to CHD. We performed coding and non-coding co-expression and competing endogenous RNA mechanism analysis of these 8 DE lncRNAs and CHD-related DE mRNA, and predicted their subcellular localization and N6-methyladenosine modification sites.

CONCLUSION

Our research found that BBR may affect mammalian target of rapamycin, mitogen-activated protein kinase, apoptosis pathway and growth arrest-specific transcript 5 in the process of CHD. These pathways may be involved in the healing process after CHD. Our research might provide novel insights for functional research of BBR.

Long Noncoding RNAs Involved in Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis Triggered by Different Stressors

Cardiomyocytes are essential to maintain the normal cardiac function. Ischemia, hypoxia, and drug stimulation can induce pathological apoptosis of cardiomyocytes which eventually leads to heart failure, arrhythmia, and other cardiovascular diseases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate cardiomyocyte apoptosis is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, more and more evidences reveal that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important regulatory roles in myocardial cell apoptosis. They can modulate the expression of apoptosis-related genes at post-transcriptional level by altering the translation efficacy of target mRNAs or functioning as a precursor for miRNAs or competing for miRNA-mediated inhibition. Moreover, reversing the abnormal expression of lncRNAs can attenuate and even reverse the pathological apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Therefore, apoptosis-related lncRNAs may become a potential new field for studying cardiomyocyte apoptosis and provide new ideas for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Influence of GAS5/MicroRNA-223-3p/P2Y12 Axis on Clopidogrel Response in Coronary Artery Disease

Background Dual antiplatelet therapy based on aspirin and P2Y12 receptor antagonists such as clopidogrel is currently the primary treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, a percentage of patients exhibit clopidogrel resistance, in which genetic factors play vital roles. This study aimed to investigate the roles of GAS5 (growth arrest-specific 5) and its rs55829688 polymorphism in clopidogrel response in patients with CAD. Methods and Results A total of 444 patients with CAD receiving dual antiplatelet therapy from 2017 to 2018 were enrolled to evaluate the effect of GAS5 single nucleotide polymorphism rs55829688 on platelet reactivity index. Platelets from 37 patients of these patients were purified with microbeads to detect GAS5 and microRNA-223-3p (miR-223-3p) expression. Platelet-rich plasma was isolated from another 17 healthy volunteers and 46 newly diagnosed patients with CAD to detect GAS5 and miR-223-3p expression. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to explore the interaction between miR-223-3p and GAS5 or P2Y12 3'-UTR in (human embryonic kidney 293 cell line that expresses a mutant version of the SV40 large T antigen) HEK 293T and (megakaryoblastic cell line derived in 1983 from the bone marrow of a chronic myeloid leukemia patient with megakaryoblastic crisis) MEG-01 cells. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments were performed to reveal the regulation of GAS5 toward P2Y12 via miR-223-3p in MEG-01 cells. We observed that rs55829688 CC homozygotes showed significantly decreased platelet reactivity index than TT homozygotes in CYP2C19 poor metabolizers. Platelet GAS5 expression correlated positively with both platelet reactivity index and P2Y12 mRNA expressions, whereas platelet miR-223-3p expression negatively correlated with platelet reactivity index. Meanwhile, a negative correlation between GAS5 and miR-223-3p expressions was observed in platelets. MiR-223-3p mimic reduced while the miR-223-3p inhibitor increased the expression of GAS5 and P2Y12 in MEG-01 cells. Knockdown of GAS5 by siRNA increased miR-223-3p expression and decreased P2Y12 expression, which could be reversed by the miR-223-3p inhibitor. Meanwhile, overexpression of GAS5 reduced miR-223-3p expression and increased P2Y12 expression, which could be reversed by miR-223-3p mimic. Conclusions GAS5 rs55829688 polymorphism might affect clopidogrel response in patients with CAD with the CYP2C19 poor metabolizer genotypes, and GAS5 regulates P2Y12 expression and clopidogrel response by acting as a competitive endogenous RNA for miR-223-3p.

Long non-coding RNAs in metabolic disorders: pathogenetic relevance and potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) could be associated with the incidence and development of metabolic disorders.

AIM

Accordingly, this narrative review described the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs in the development of metabolic diseases including insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, and coronary artery diseases (CAD). Furthermore, we investigated the up-to-date findings on the association of deregulated lncRNAs in the metabolic disorders, and potential use of lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

CONCLUSION

LncRNAs/miRNA/regulatory proteins axis plays a crucial role in progression of metabolic disorders and may be used in development of therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.

A novel lncRNA-protein interaction prediction method based on deep forest with cascade forest structure

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate many biological processes by interacting with corresponding RNA-binding proteins. The identification of lncRNA-protein Interactions (LPIs) is significantly important to well characterize the biological functions and mechanisms of lncRNAs. Existing computational methods have been effectively applied to LPI prediction. However, the majority of them were evaluated only on one LPI dataset, thereby resulting in prediction bias. More importantly, part of models did not discover possible LPIs for new lncRNAs (or proteins). In addition, the prediction performance remains limited. To solve with the above problems, in this study, we develop a Deep Forest-based LPI prediction method (LPIDF). First, five LPI datasets are obtained and the corresponding sequence information of lncRNAs and proteins are collected. Second, features of lncRNAs and proteins are constructed based on four-nucleotide composition and BioSeq2vec with encoder-decoder structure, respectively. Finally, a deep forest model with cascade forest structure is developed to find new LPIs. We compare LPIDF with four classical association prediction models based on three fivefold cross validations on lncRNAs, proteins, and LPIs. LPIDF obtains better average AUCs of 0.9012, 0.6937 and 0.9457, and the best average AUPRs of 0.9022, 0.6860, and 0.9382, respectively, for the three CVs, significantly outperforming other methods. The results show that the lncRNA FTX may interact with the protein P35637 and needs further validation.

Pathological Bases and Clinical Application of Long Noncoding RNAs in Cardiovascular Diseases

Increasing evidence has suggested that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have vital roles in cardiovascular tissue homeostasis and diseases. As a main subgroup of ncRNAs, long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to play important roles in lipid metabolism, inflammation, vascular injury, and angiogenesis. They have also been implicated in many human diseases including atherosclerosis, arterial remodeling, hypertension, myocardial injury, cardiac remodeling, and heart failure. Importantly, it was reported that lncRNAs were dysregulated in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). A variety of studies have demonstrated that lncRNAs could influence gene expression at transcription, post-transcription, translation, and post-translation level. Particularly, emerging evidence has confirmed that the crosstalk among lncRNAs, mRNA, and miRNAs is an important underlying regulatory mechanism of lncRNAs. Nevertheless, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs in CVDs have not been fully explored yet. In this review, we will comprehensively summarize the main findings about lncRNAs and CVDs, highlighting the most recent discoveries in the field of lncRNAs and their pathophysiological functions in CVDs, with the aim of dissecting the intrinsic association between lncRNAs and common risk factors of CVDs including hypertension, high glucose, and high fat. Finally, the potential of lncRNAs functioning as the biomarkers, therapeutic targets, as well as specific diagnostic and prognostic indicators of CVDs will be discussed in this review.

The Emerging Role of Long Non-coding RNAs and Circular RNAs in Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common disorder caused by atherosclerotic processes in the coronary arteries. This condition results from abnormal interactions between numerous cell types in the artery walls. The main participating factors in this process are accumulation of lipid deposits, endothelial cell dysfunction, macrophage induction, and changes in smooth muscle cells. Several lines of evidence underscore participation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the pathogenesis of CAD. Several lncRNAs such as H19, ANRIL, MIAT, lnc-DC, IFNG-AS1, and LEF1-AS1 have been shown to be up-regulated in the biological materials obtained from CAD patients. On the other hand, Gas5, Chast, HULC, DICER1-AS1, and MEG3 have been down-regulated in CAD patients. Meanwhile, a number of circRNAs have been demonstrated to influence function of endothelial cells or vascular smooth muscle cells, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of CAD. In the current review, we summarize the function of lncRNAs and circRNAs in the development and progression of CAD.

Oxidative Stress in Ischemic Heart Disease

One of the novel interesting topics in the study of cardiovascular disease is the role of the oxidation system, since inflammation and oxidative stress are known to lead to cardiovascular diseases, their progression and complications. During decades of research, many complex interactions between agents of oxidative stress, oxidation, and antioxidant systems have been elucidated, and numerous important pathophysiological links to na number of disorders and diseases have been established. This review article will present the most relevant knowledge linking oxidative stress to vascular dysfunction and disease. The review will focus on the role of oxidative stress in endotheleial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, and other pathogenetic processes and mechanisms that contribute to the development of ischemic heart disease.

The effect of LncRNA SNHG16 on vascular smooth muscle cells in CHD by targeting miRNA-218-5p

PURPOSE

To explore the role of SNHG16 in coronary heart disease (CHD) and its effect on vascular smooth muscle cells via miR-218-5p.

METHODS

A quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was carried out to determine the expression of serum SNHG16 and miR-218-5p in the observation group before and after treatment and in the control group. Then, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to analyze the value of SNHG16 and miR-218-5p in the diagnosis and prognosis prediction of CHD. Furthermore, purchased coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMC) were transfected with SNHG16 mimics, SNHG16 inhibitor, miR-218-5p mimics, miR-218-5p inhibitor, or negative control, and then the cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, and apoptosis-related proteins (Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related proteins (c-myc and β-catenin) in the cells were detected.

RESULTS

Both SNHG16 and miR-218-5 had good predictive value for the development and recurrence of CHD (P < 0.001). In addition, cell experiments showed that inhibition of SNHG16 weakened the proliferation and migration of HCASMC cells and intensified their apoptosis, SNHG16 and miR-218-5p had the same binding sites, and the dual luciferase reporter assay revealed that the fluorescence activity of HG16-WT was inhibited by transfected miR-mimics, but enhanced by transfected miR-inhibitor (both P < 0.050). Furthermore, the rescue experiment revealed that the effect of inhibiting SNHG16 on HCASMC cells was completely reversed by miR-218-5p (P > 0.050).

CONCLUSIONS

Highly expressed SNHG16 targetedly regulates miR-218-5p and promotes the proliferation and migration of HCASMC via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, giving rise to CHD.

Puerarin alleviates coronary heart disease via suppressing inflammation in a rat model

BACKGROUND

Puerarin shows inhibitory effects on inflammation in chronic heart failure (CHF), but its efficacy in coronary heart disease (CHD) remained vague.

METHODS

Rat CHD model was constructed, and serum parameters were determined using a blood liquid biochemical analyzer. Also, contents of creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase MB isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cardiac troponin (cTnT) were measured using colorimetry. Histological examination was conducted with Hematoxylin-Eosin (H&E) staining, and cardiac function was assessed by Echocardiography. Cell apoptosis was detected using Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Relative expressions were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot as needed.

RESULTS

In CHD rats, the levels of TC, LDL and TG and the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), CD40 ligand (CD40L), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were increased while HDL level was decreased, accompanied with inflammatory cell infiltration and cardiac malfunction. Also, the contents of CK, CK-MB, LDH and cTnT, the percentage of apoptotic cells, the expressions of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), cleaved Caspase-3, TNF-α, Interleukin-β (IL-β), IL-6 and Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) expressions and the levels of oxidized-(ox-)LDL and malondialdehyde (MDA) were upregulated, while the level of super oxidase dismutase (SOD) and the expressions of B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were downregulated. However, Puerarin ameliorated the effects of CHD model construction, suppressed nuclear factor-(NF-)κB expression, and enhanced the expressions of Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR), phosphorylated-AKT (p-AKT) and phosphorylated-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3).

CONCLUSION

Puerarin alleviated CHD in rats via inhibiting inflammation, providing possible method for CHD treatment.

LncRNA GAS5 inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation-mediated pyroptosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy by targeting miR-34b-3p/AHR

Long noncoding RNA GAS5 is down-regulated in cardiomyocytes in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Here, we studied the involvement of GAS5 in DCM by analyzing its expression in DCM mouse model and cardiac muscle cell line (HL-1 cells). Compared with normal mice, GAS5 was severely down-regulated in heart tissues of DCM mice. GAS5 overexpression improved cardiac function and myocardial hypertrophy in DCM mice. In addition, the expression of NLRP3, caspase-1, Pro-caspase-1, IL-1β and IL-18 were increased in heart tissues of DCM mice and high glucose-treated HL-1 cells, which was repressed by GAS5 up-regulation. GAS5 overexpression suppressed caspase-1 activity, LDH release and the levels of IL-1β, IL-18 in the high glucose-treated HL-1 cells. Moreover, GAS5 regulated AHR expression by sponging miR-34b-3p. Furthermore, GAS5 overexpression suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome activation-mediated pyroptosis by regulating miR-34b-3p/AHR axis. In summary, our study demonstrates that GAS5 acts as a competing endogenous RNA to enhance AHR expression by sponging miR-34b-3p, which consequently represses NLRP3 inflammasome activation-mediated pyroptosis to improve DCM. Thus, our data provide a novel lncRNA GAS5 that could be a valuable target for DCM treatment.

MiR-216a-5p alleviates chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic pain in rats by targeting KDM3A and inactivating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Neuropathic pain is a devastating disease and exists tolerance to current available analgesics. MicroRNAs were reported to be involved in the regulation of neuropathic pain, but the biological role of miR-216a-5p in neuropathic pain remains unclear. In this study, we constructed a CCI rat model of neuropathic pain. Our results showed that the expression of miR-216a-5p was downregulated in CCI rats, and mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in CCI rats were improved by miR-216a-5p overexpression, suggesting that miR-216a-5p overexpression alleviated neuropathic pain. Moreover, ELISA showed that miR-216a-5p overexpression inhibited concentration and mRNA expression of IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β as well as suppressed microglial infiltration, indicating that miR-216a-5p overexpression inhibited neuroinflammation. Besides, we found that miR-216a-5p upregulation inactivated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, KDM3A was the downstream target of miR-216a-5p and KDM3A knockdown attenuated neuropathic pain. Finally, through rescue assay, we found that KDM3A countervailed miR-216a-5p mediated regulation of neuropathic pain via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. To sum up, our study confirmed that miR-216a-5p alleviated neuropathic pain in rats by targeting KDM3A and inactivating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which may open a new and useful way for treatment of neuropathic pain.

The mechanisms of lncRNA GAS5 in cardiovascular cells and its potential as novel therapeutic target

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a large class of non (protein)-coding RNAs, which are longer beyond 200 nucleotides. LncRNA GAS5 is widely considered as a tumour suppressor in cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell migration and invasion of tumour cells. Recently, a growing body of evidences indicated that GAS5 was also widely involved in the pathologic process of cardiovascular cells, including regulation of apoptosis and inflammatory injury of cardiomyocytes; proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy and angiogenesis of endothelial cells; and proliferation, migration, apoptosis and differentiation of VSMCs. In this regard, we summarised current studies of GAS5 in cardiovascular cells, which shed light on not only our understanding of the mechanisms of GAS5 in cardiovascular cells but also understanding of the potential of GAS5 as novel therapeutic target.

The Long Non-Coding RNA Landscape of Atherosclerotic Plaques

Currently, cardiovascular diseases continue to be the leading cause of death worldwide; therefore, atherosclerosis remains one of the most crucial public health problems. This chronic and complex disease is considered to be a result of aberrant lipid homeostasis and inflammation of the inner wall of arteries that leads to plaque development. In recent years, a specific class of non-coding RNAs that are characterised by transcript lengths longer than 200 nucleotides, called long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), has emerged. Moreover, a growing body of evidence indicates that deregulation of lncRNA expression may contribute to the development of many diseases. Despite continuous efforts in deciphering the molecular basis of atherosclerotic plaque (AP) formation, many aspects of this process remain elusive. Therefore, continuing efforts in this area should remain the highest priority in the coming years. Establishment of a standardised experimental pipeline and validation of lncRNAs as possible relevant biomarkers for cardiovascular disease would enable the translation of gathered findings into clinical practice.

Non-coding RNAs and Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading death cause worldwide. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) are key regulators of genetic expression and thus can affect directly or indirectly the development and progression of different diseases. ncRNA can be classified in several types depending on the length or structure, as long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA) and circularRNA (circRNA), among others. These types of RNA are present within cells or in circulation, and for this reason they have been used as biomarkers of different diseases, therefore revolutionizing precision medicine. Recent research studied the capability of circulating ncRNA to inform about CAD presence and predict the outcome of the disease. In this chapter we present a list of the miRNA, lncRNA and circRNA which are potential biomarkers of CAD.

Down-regulation of GAS5 ameliorates myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury via the miR-335/ROCK1/AKT/GSK-3β axis

Growth arrest‐specific transcript 5 (GAS5), along non‐coding RNA (LncRNA), is highly expressed in hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)‐cardiomyocytes and promotes H/R‐induced apoptosis. In this study, we determined whether down‐regulation of GAS5 ameliorates myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and further explored its mechanism. GAS5 expression in cardiomyocytes and rats was knockdown by transfected or injected with GAS5‐specific small interfering RNA or adeno‐associated virus delivering small hairpin RNAs, respectively. The effects of GAS5 knockdown on myocardial I/R injury were detected by CCK‐8, myocardial enzyme test, flow cytometry, TTC and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining. qRT‐PCR and luciferase reporter assay were carried out to analyse the relationship between GAS5 and miR‐335. The regulation of GAS5 on Rho‐associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1) expression, the activation of PI3K/AKT/GSK‐3β pathway and mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening was further evaluated. The results indicated that GAS5 knockdown enhanced the viability, decreased apoptosis and reduced the levels of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase‐MB in H/R‐treatment cardiomyocytes. Meanwhile, down‐regulation of GAS5 limited myocardial infarct size and reduced apoptosis in I/R‐heart. GAS5 was found to bind to miR‐335 and displayed a reciprocal inhibition between them. Furthermore, GAS5 knockdown repressed ROCK1 expression, activated PI3K/AKT, thereby leading to inhibition of GSK‐3β and mPTP opening. These suppressions were abrogated by miR‐335 inhibitor treatment. Taken together, our results demonstrated that down‐regulation of GAS5 ameliorates myocardial I/R injury via the miR‐335/ROCK1/AKT/GSK‐3β axis. Our findings suggested that GAS5 may be a new therapeutic target for the prevention of myocardial I/R injury.

γ-catenin alleviates cardiac fibrosis through inhibiting phosphorylation of GSK-3β

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathological change of many cardiovascular diseases. β-catenin has been shown to promote fibrosis. However, the precise role of its homolog γ-catenin in the process of fibrosis remains largely unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of γ-catenin was significantly decreased in angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ)-induced cardiac fibrosis model, contrary to most reports of β-catenin. Overexpression of γ-catenin in cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) significantly inhibited the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), whereas knocking down the expression of γ-catenin with siRNA promoted the occurrence of cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, γ-catenin could bind to GSK-3β to inhibit the phosphorylation of GSK-3β, therefore preventing cardiac fibrosis. Our study shows that γ-catenin is an important protective factor in cardiac fibrosis, which provides a new potential target for the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.

Long Non-Coding RNA in Vascular Disease and Aging

Cardiovascular diseases are the most prominent cause of death in Western society, especially in the elderly. With the increasing life expectancy, the number of patients with cardiovascular diseases will rise in the near future, leading to an increased healthcare burden. There is a need for new therapies to treat this growing number of patients. The discovery of long non-coding RNAs has led to a novel group of molecules that could be considered for their potential as therapeutic targets. This review presents an overview of long non-coding RNAs that are regulated in vascular disease and aging and which might therefore give insight into new pathways that could be targeted to diagnose, prevent, and/or treat vascular diseases.