Hsa-miRNA-23a-3p promotes atherogenesis in a novel mouse model of atherosclerosis

Circular RNA circ_0002984 Facilitates the Proliferation and Migration of Ox-LDL-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells via the Let-7a-5p/KLF5 Pathway

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis (AS). This study aimed to explore the exact role and mechanism of circ_0002984 in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-mediated human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMCs). The model of smooth muscle cell phenotype switching was constructed by treating HVSMCs with ox-LDL. The levels of circ_0002984, let-7a-5p, and kruppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) were measured by quantitative real-time PCR or western blot assay. Cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), EdU staining, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and flow cytometry. The expression of cleaved-caspase-3 and KLF5 was examined by western blot. The relationship between let-7a-5p and circ_0002984 or KLF5 was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay or RIP assay. The results showed that circ_0002984 and KLF5 were up-regulated, while let-7a-5p was down-regulated in AS patients and ox-LDL-disposed HVSMCs. Silence of circ_0002984 suppressed proliferation and migration, and promoted apoptosis in ox-LDL-stimulated HVSMCs. Moreover, circ_0002984 sponged let-7a-5p to regulate the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in ox-LDL-resulted HVSMCs. In addition, KLF5 was a target of let-7a-5p and its overexpression reversed the effect of let-7a-5p on the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis in ox-LDL-treated HVSMCs. Also, circ_0002984 positively regulated KLF5 expression by absorbing let-7a-5p. The promotion effect of circ_0002984 on the proliferation and migration of ox-LDL-treated HVSMCs was reversed by KLF5 silencing. Taken together, depletion of circ_0002984 inhibited the proliferation and migration of ox-LDL-stimulated HVSMCs, which might be achieved by modulating the let-7a-5p/KLF5 axis.

Restoration of miR-299-3p promotes efferocytosis and ameliorates atherosclerosis via repressing CD47 in mice

Atherosclerotic plaque formation is largely attributed to the impaired efferocytosis, which is known to be associated with the pathologic upregulation of cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47), a key antiphagocytic molecule. By gene expression omnibus (GEO) datasets analysis, we identified that four miRNAs are aberrantly downregulated in atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and obesity. Of them, hsa-miR-299-3p (miR-299-3p) was predicted to target the 3'UTR of human CD47 mRNA by bioinformatics analysis. Further, we demonstrated that miR-299-3p negatively regulates CD47 expression by binding to the target sequence "CCCACAU" in the 3'UTR of CD47 mRNA through luciferase reporter assay and site-directed mutagenesis. Additionally, we found that miR-299-3p was downregulated by ~32% in foam cells in response to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) stimulation, thus upregulating CD47 and contributing to the impaired efferocytosis. Whereas, restoration of miR-299-3p reversed the ox-LDL-induced upregulation of CD47, thereby facilitating efferocytosis. In high-fat diet (HFD) fed ApoE-/- mice, we discovered that miR-299-3p was downregulated thus leading to upregulation of CD47 in abdominal aorta. Conversely, miR-299-3p restoration potently suppressed HFD-induced upregulation of CD47 and promoted phagocytosis of foam cells by macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques, thereby reducing necrotic core, increasing plaque stability, and mitigating atherosclerosis. Conclusively, we identify miR-299-3p as a negative regulator of CD47, and reveal a molecular mechanism whereby the ox-LDL-induced downregulation of miR-299-3p leads to the upregulation of CD47 in foam cells thus contributing to the impaired efferocytosis in atherosclerosis, and propose miR-299-3p can potentially serve as an inhibitor of CD47 to promote efferocytosis and ameliorate atherosclerosis.

The Interplay Between Cytokines and MicroRNAs to Regulate Metabolic Disorders

Metabolic disorders represent significant public health challenges worldwide. Emerging evidence suggests that cytokines and microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders by regulating various metabolic processes, including insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, and inflammation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the intricate interplay between cytokines and miRNAs in the context of metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. We discuss how dysregulation of cytokine-miRNA networks contributes to the development and progression of metabolic disorders and explore the therapeutic potential of targeting these interactions for disease management.

Discriminatory power of a circulating multi-noncoding RNA panel in acute coronary syndrome subtypes: Towards precision detection

BACKGROUND

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) stands as a significant contributor to cardiovascular mortality, necessitating improved diagnostic tools for early detection and tailored therapeutic interventions. Current diagnostic modalities, exhibit limitations in sensitivity and specificity, urging the quest for novel biomarkers to enhance discrimination of the different stages of ACS including unstable angina, Non-ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI), and ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

This study investigated the potential of a plasma-circulating multi-noncoding RNA (ncRNA) panel, comprising four miRNAs (miR-182-5p, miR-23a-3p, miR-146a-5p, and miR-183-5p) and three lncRNAs (SNHG15, SNHG5, and RMRP), selected based on their intricate involvement in ACS pathogenesis and signaling pathways regulating post-myocardial infarction (MI) processes. The differential expression of these ncRNAs was validated in sera of ACS patients and healthy controls via real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

RESULTS

Analysis revealed a marked upregulation of the multi-ncRNAs panel in ACS patients. Notably, miRNA-182-5p and lncRNA-RMRP exhibited exceptional discriminatory power, indicated by the high area under the curve (AUC) values (0.990 and 0.980, respectively). Importantly, this panel displayed superior efficacy in discriminating between STEMI and NSTEMI, outperforming conventional biomarkers like creatine kinase-MB and cardiac troponins. Additionally, the four miRNAs and lncRNA RMRP showcased remarkable proficiency in distinguishing between STEMI and unstable angina.

CONCLUSION

The findings underscore the promising potential of the multi-ncRNA panel as a robust tool for early ACS detection, and precise differentiation among ACS subtypes, and as a potential therapeutic target.

Recapitulating familial hypercholesterolemia in a mouse model by knock-in patient-specific LDLR mutation

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is one of the most prevalent monogenetic disorders leading to cardiovascular disease (CVD) worldwide. Mutations in Ldlr, encoding a membrane-spanning protein, account for the majority of FH cases. No effective and safe clinical treatments are available for FH. Adenine base editor (ABE)-mediated molecular therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy to treat genetic diseases caused by point mutations, with evidence of successful treatment in mouse disease models. However, due to the differences in the genomes between mice and humans, ABE with specific sgRNA, a key gene correction component, cannot be directly used to treat FH patients. Thus, we generated a knock-in mouse model harboring the partial patient-specific fragment and including the Ldlr W490X mutation. LdlrW490X/W490X mice recapitulated cholesterol metabolic disorder and clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis associated with FH patients, including high plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and lipid deposition in aortic vessels. Additionally, we showed that the mutant Ldlr gene could be repaired using ABE with the cellular model. Taken together, these results pave the way for ABE-mediated molecular therapy for FH.

The influence of epigenetics and inflammation on cardiometabolic risks

Cardiometabolic diseases include metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Epigenetic modifications participate in cardiometabolic diseases through several pathways, including inflammation, vascular dysfunction, and insulin resistance. Epigenetic modifications, which encompass alterations to gene expression without mutating the DNA sequence, have gained much attention in recent years, since they have been correlated with cardiometabolic diseases and may be targeted for therapeutic interventions. Epigenetic modifications are greatly influenced by environmental factors, such as diet, physical activity, cigarette smoking, and pollution. Some modifications are heritable, indicating that the biological expression of epigenetic alterations may be observed across generations. Moreover, many patients with cardiometabolic diseases present with chronic inflammation, which can be influenced by environmental and genetic factors. The inflammatory environment worsens the prognosis of cardiometabolic diseases and further induces epigenetic modifications, predisposing patients to the development of other metabolism-associated diseases and complications. A deeper understanding of inflammatory processes and epigenetic modifications in cardiometabolic diseases is necessary to improve our diagnostic capabilities, personalized medicine approaches, and the development of targeted therapeutic interventions. Further understanding may also assist in predicting disease outcomes, especially in children and young adults. This review describes epigenetic modifications and inflammatory processes underlying cardiometabolic diseases, and further discusses advances in the research field with a focus on specific points for interventional therapy.

MicroRNA-22-3p alleviates atherosclerosis by mediating macrophage M2 polarization as well as inhibiting NLRP3 activation

OBJECTIVE

MicroRNA (miR)-22-3p is expressed in atherosclerosis (AS), but its function and regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, the effects of miR-22-3p in AS were assessed in this study.

METHODS

MiR-22-3p expression was assessed in AS, and miR-22-3p target genes were predicted using sequencing transcriptomics. The effect of miR-22-3p agomir on atherosclerotic lesions in an AS mouse model were determined by Oil red O, Masson's, and sirius red staining, and by anti-smooth muscle actin and macrophage antigen-3 immunostaining. Gene expression in AS was evaluated by western blot and immunofluorescence.

RESULTS

MiR-22-3p was expressed in AS and control samples (32.5% and 33.9% levels, respectively, relative to total miRNA among six highly expressed miRNAs). In the mouse model of AS, miR-22-3p agomir significantly reduced lipid deposition, proliferation of aortic collagen fibres, and macrophage content. Additionally, inducible nitric oxide synthase, interleukin-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α levels were significantly reduced, and levels of arginase 1 and CD206 were significantly enhanced. MiR-22-3p was found to target janus kinase 1(JAK1), and significantly inhibited the activation of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and JAK1 in mice.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-22-3p appears to reduce the inflammatory response in AS, which might be achieved by inducing the M2 macrophage phenotype and suppressing NLRP3 activation via JAK1.

Epididymal white adipose tissue promotes angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis in an exosome-dependent manner

Cardiac fibrosis is a process characterized by extracellular matrix accumulation leading to myocardial dysfunction. Angiotensin II (Ang II) has been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well established. Dysfunction of adipose tissue has been shown to promote remote organ injury, but its role in Ang II-induced cardiac remodeling is still unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT) promoted Ang II-induced cardiac fibrosis and subsequent cardiac dysfunction in an exosome-dependent manner. Both eWAT removal and administration of an inhibitor of exosome biogenesis strongly attenuated Ang II-induced abnormalities. Moreover, exosomes isolated from Ang II-stimulated adipocytes promoted cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) activity. A mechanistic study identified that the miR-23a-3p level was significantly increased in exosomes derived from Ang II-challenged adipocytes and serum exosomes from Ang II-infused mice. Importantly, tail vein injection of ago-miR-23a-3p caused cardiac fibrosis and dysfunction, while antago-miR-23a-3p inhibited Ang II-induced cardiac fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis and further validation experiments revealed that RAP1 is a direct downstream target of miR-23a-3p, and overexpression of RAP1 reversed the profibrotic effect of miR-23a-3p. Taken together, these findings elucidated the role of eWAT in Ang II-induced myocardial fibrosis and indicated that adipocyte-derived exosomes mediate pathologic communication between dysfunctional adipose tissue and the heart by transporting miR-23a-3p into CFs, transforming fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and promoting excessive collagen deposition by targeting RAP1. Prevention of abnormal adipocyte exosome production, inhibition of miR-23a-3p biogenesis, and treatment with a miR-23a-3p antagonist are novel strategies for treating cardiac fibrosis.

ATF4 promotes brain vascular smooth muscle cells proliferation, invasion and migration by targeting miR-552-SKI axis

Background

Studies have indicated vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) played a crucial role in atherosclerosis and microRNAs (miRNAs) played key roles in biological functions of VSMCs. Whereas, the potential function and mechanism of miR-552 in VSMCs remains unclear. Our aim was to explore the role of miR-552 on VSMCs and underlying mechanism.

Material/Methods

MTT assay and transwell assay were used to measure the proliferation, invasion, and migration of human brain VSMCs (HBVSMCs) and mice VSMCs (mVSMCs), respectively. Bioinformatics tools and luciferase assay were adopted to verify the association between miR-552 and SKI. Rescue experiments were employed to assess the interaction of miR-552 and SKI in modulating biological functions in HBVSMCs and mVSMCs. The expression level of transcription factors (TFs)was measured via qRT-PCR assay. The effect of ATF4 on miR-552 and SKI expression was tested by qRT-PCR or western blot assay. Finally, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay and JASPAR databases were used to analyze the regulatory linkage between ATF4 and miR-552.

Results

We found that miR-552 was upregulated in HBVSMCs treated with PDGF-bb and miR-552 overexpression could promote proliferation, invasion, and migration of HBVSMCs and mVSMCs, whereas, miR-552 knockdown had the opposite impact. In addition, we also found that SKI was a direct target of miR-552, which reversed miR-552-mediated proliferation, invasion, and migration in HBVSMCs and mVSMCs. Furthermore, we also discovered that miR-552 overexpression promoted the effects of ATF4 elevation on proliferation, migration and invasion of HBVSMCs and mVSMCs, but, miR-552 decline had the opposite impact.

Conclusions

ATF4-miR-552-SKI axis played critical roles in the proliferation and migration of HBVSMCs and mVSMCs, which were closely involved in atherosclerosis (AS). Therefore, our findings might offer a novel therapeutic target for AS.

Endothelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles impair the angiogenic response of coronary artery endothelial cells

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most prominent cause of death of adults in the United States with coronary artery disease being the most common type of CVD. Following a myocardial event, the coronary endothelium plays an important role in the recovery of the ischemic myocardium. Specifically, endothelial cells (EC) must be able to elicit a robust angiogenic response necessary for tissue revascularization and repair. However, local or distant cues may prevent effective revascularization. Extracellular vesicles (EV) are produced by all cells and endothelium is a rich source of EVs that have access to the main circulation thereby potentially impacting local and distant tissue function. Systemic inflammation associated with conditions such as obesity as well as the acute inflammatory response elicited by a cardiac event can significantly increase the EV release by endothelium and alter their miRNA, protein or lipid cargo. Our laboratory has previously shown that EVs released by adipose tissue endothelial cells exposed to chronic inflammation have angiostatic effects on naïve adipose tissue EC in vitro. Whether the observed effect is specific to EVs from adipose tissue endothelium or is a more general feature of the endothelial EVs exposed to pro-inflammatory cues is currently unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the angiostatic effects of EVs produced by EC from the coronary artery and adipose microvasculature exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines (PIC) on naïve coronary artery EC. We have found that EVs from both EC sources have angiostatic effects on the coronary endothelium. EVs produced by cells in a pro-inflammatory environment reduced proliferation and barrier function of EC without impacting cellular senescence. Some of these functional effects could be attributed to the miRNA cargo of EVs. Several miRNAs such as miR-451, let-7, or miR-23a impact on multiple pathways responsible for proliferation, cellular permeability and angiogenesis. Collectively, our data suggests that EVs may compete with pro-angiogenic cues in the ischemic myocardium therefore slowing down the repair response. Acute treatments with inhibitors that prevent endogenous EV release immediately after an ischemic event may contribute to better efficacy of therapeutic approaches using functionalized exogenous EVs or other pro-angiogenic approaches.

Extracellular vesicles carrying proinflammatory factors may spread atherosclerosis to remote locations

Most cells involved in atherosclerosis release extracellular vesicles (EVs), which can carry bioactive substances to downstream tissues via circulation. We hypothesized that EVs derived from atherosclerotic plaques could promote atherogenesis in remote locations, a mechanism that mimics the blood metastasis of cancer. Ldlr gene knockout (Ldlr KO) rats were fed on a high cholesterol diet and underwent partial carotid ligation to induce local atherosclerosis. EVs were separated from carotid artery tissues and downstream blood of carotid ligation by centrifugation. MiRNA sequencing and qPCR were then performed to detect miRNA differences in EVs from rats with and without induced carotid atherosclerosis. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that EVs derived from atherosclerosis could increase the expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin in endothelial cells in vitro. EVs derived from atherosclerosis contained a higher level of miR-23a-3p than those derived from controls. MiR-23a-3p could promote endothelial inflammation by targeting Dusp5 and maintaining ERK1/2 phosphorylation in vitro. Inhibiting EV release could attenuate atherogenesis and reduce macrophage infiltration in vivo. Intravenously administrating atherosclerotic plaque-derived EVs could induce intimal inflammation, arterial wall thickening and lumen narrowing in the carotids of Ldlr KO rats, while simultaneous injection of miR-23a-3p antagomir could reverse this reaction. The results suggested that EVs may transfer atherosclerosis to remote locations by carrying proinflammatory factors, particularly miR-23a-3p.

Circulating circular RNAs as biomarkers for the diagnosis of essential hypertension with carotid plaque

BACKGROUND

At present, no early diagnostic markers for essential hypertension (EH)-induced subclinical target organs damage (such as carotid plaque) are available. This study aimed to identify the circular RNAs (circRNAs) in EH with carotid plaques, and assess their utility as biomarkers.

METHODS

First, circRNAs were identified through microarry analysis and database prediction. Second, a case-control study of EH patients with carotid plaque (n = 100) and healthy controls (n = 100) was performed to evaluate circRNAs expression in peripheral blood. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was established to evaluate the diagnostic value.

RESULTS

Five circRNAs (hsa_circ_0105130, hsa_circ_0109569, hsa_circ_0072659, hsa_circ_0079586 and hsa_circ_0064684) were identified as the candidate circRNAs. We found that circRNAs were increased in case group compared with controls (P < .05). The results of ROC shown that these five circRNAs, especially hsa_circ_0109569 (AUC = 0.741), all had the moderate predictive value.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed circulating circRNAs may act as promising noninvasive biomarkers for early detection and population screening of EH-induced subclinical target organ injury.

The miR-23-27-24 cluster: an emerging target in NAFLD pathogenesis

The incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing globally, being the most widespread form of chronic liver disease in the west. NAFLD includes a variety of disease states, the mildest being non-alcoholic fatty liver that gradually progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. Small non-coding single-stranded microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression at the miRNA or translational level. Numerous miRNAs have been shown to promote NAFLD pathogenesis and progression through increasing lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and inflammation. The miR-23-27-24 clusters, composed of miR-23a-27a-24-2 and miR-23b-27b-24-1, have been implicated in various biological processes as well as many diseases. Herein, we review the current knowledge on miR-27, miR-24, and miR-23 in NAFLD pathogenesis and discuss their potential significance in NAFLD diagnosis and therapy.

Deregulated miRNAs Contribute to Silencing of B-Cell Specific Transcription Factors and Activation of NF-κB in Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Simple Summary

The role of transcriptionally deregulated miRNAs (microRNAs) in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is still not fully understood. To address this issue, we have performed global miRNA expression profiling of commonly used cHL cell lines and we present a complete cHL miRNome (microRNome). Within this group, we identify miRNAs recurrently deregulated in cHL cell lines, and compare them to non-Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines and sorted normal CD77⁺ germinal centre B-cells. Moreover, we show that several of the recurrently overexpressed miRNAs in cHL cell lines, and also primary microdissected HRS (Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg) cells, target known B-cell-related transcription factors and NF-κB inhibitors. These findings provide evidence that deregulated miRNAs contribute to the loss of B-cell phenotype and NF-κB activation observed in this lymphoma.

Abstract

A hallmark of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is the attenuation of B-cell transcription factors leading to global transcriptional reprogramming. The role of miRNAs (microRNAs) involved in this process is poorly studied. Therefore, we performed global miRNA expression profiling using RNA-seq on commonly used cHL cell lines, non-Hodgkin lymphoma cell lines and sorted normal CD77⁺ germinal centre B-cells as controls and characterized the cHL miRNome (microRNome). Among the 298 miRNAs expressed in cHL, 56 were significantly overexpressed and 23 downregulated (p < 0.05) compared to the controls. Moreover, we identified five miRNAs (hsa-miR-9-5p, hsa-miR-24-3p, hsa-miR-196a-5p, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-155-5p) as especially important in the pathogenesis of this lymphoma. Target genes of the overexpressed miRNAs in cHL were significantly enriched (p < 0.05) in gene ontologies related to transcription factor activity. Therefore, we further focused on selected interactions with the SPI1 and ELF1 transcription factors attenuated in cHL and the NF-ĸB inhibitor TNFAIP3. We confirmed the interactions between hsa-miR-27a-5p:SPI1, hsa-miR-330-3p:ELF-1, hsa-miR-450b-5p:ELF-1 and hsa-miR-23a-3p:TNFAIP3, which suggest that overexpression of these miRNAs contributes to silencing of the respective genes. Moreover, by analyzing microdissected HRS cells, we demonstrated that these miRNAs are also overexpressed in primary tumor cells. Therefore, these miRNAs play a role in silencing the B-cell phenotype in cHL.