Screening and validation of differentially expressed microRNAs and target genes in hypertensive mice induced by cytomegalovirus infection

Human Cytomegalovirus Induced Aberrant Expression of Non-coding RNAs

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a β-herpesvirus whose genome consists of double stranded linear DNA. HCMV genome can generate non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) through transcription in its host cells. Besides that, HCMV infection also changes the ncRNAs expression profile of the host cells. ncRNAs play a key role in maintaining the normal physiological activity of cells, and the disorder of ncRNAs expression has numerous adverse effects on cells. However, until now, the relationship between ncRNAs and HCMV-induced adverse effects are not summarized in detail. This review aims to give a systematic summary of the role of HCMV infection in ncRNAs expression while providing insights into the molecular mechanism of unnormal cellular events caused by ncRNAs disorder. ncRNAs disorder induced by HCMV infection is highly associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis, tumorigenesis, and immune regulation, as well as the development of cardiovascular diseases, and the potential role of biomarker. We summarize the studies on HCMV associated ncRNAs disorder and suggest innovative strategies for eliminating the adverse effects caused by HCMV infection.

The Expression of miR-365 in Serum of Hypertension Patients with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Was Up-Regulated, Which Was Positively Correlated with Left Ventricular Mass Index

Objective

The present study aims to investigate micro ribonucleic acid-365 (miR-365) serum expression and its correlation with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in patients with hypertension (HT).

Methods

Eighty-four patients were selected as study subjects and divided into three groups: the experimental group (n = 28), the observation group (n = 29), and the control group (n = 27). The experimental group included patients with LVH-accompanied HT who were treated in the People's Hospital of Hebei Province between November 2019 and November 2020, the observation group included patients with HT unaccompanied by LVH, and the control group included healthy age and gender-matched subjects who underwent health examinations in our physical examination center. The cardiac echocardiography, 24-h Holter electrocardiogram, and circulating miR-365 levels in all subjects were measured. The differences in circulating miR-365 expression levels among the three groups were compared, and the correlations between the miR-365 expression levels and the blood pressure parameters (24-h mean systolic blood pressure [SBP] and 24-h mean diastolic blood pressure [DBP]), inter-ventricular septal thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), left ventricular internal diameter (LVID), left ventricular mass (LVM), LVM index (LVMI), and LVH-related indicators were analyzed.

Results

The relative miR-365 expressions in the experimental, observation, and control groups were 2.08 (1.60, 2.34), 0.62 (0.44, 0.83), and 0.66 (0.35, 0.86), respectively. Patient miR-365 expression was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the observation group and the control group; the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.000). Furthermore, miR-365 expression was significantly correlated with SBP, DBP, IVST, LVPWT, LVID, LVM, and LVMI; the greatest correlation was with LVMI. Further univariate linear regression analysis revealed that miR-365 expression was linearly and positively correlated with LVMI and that miRNA-365 expression increased with the LVMI value.

Conclusion

The miR-365 serum expression in patients with LVH-accompanied HT was increased compared with the observation group and the control group and positively correlated with the LVH degree.

MicroRNA‑1929‑3p participates in murine cytomegalovirus‑induced hypertensive vascular remodeling through Ednra/NLRP3 inflammasome activation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the development of vascular remodeling in essential hypertension (EH) by mediating the effects of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) on the vascular system. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection on blood pressure and vascular function in mice, in order to elucidate the role of miR‑1929‑3p in this process. For model development, 7‑month‑old C57BL/6J mice were infected with the Smith strain of MCMV, and MCMV DNA, IgG and IgM were detected. Subsequently, blood pressure was measured via the carotid artery, and the morphological changes of the aorta were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining. miR‑1929‑3p transfection was performed using an adeno‑associated virus packaged vector and the changes in vascular structure were then observed. The levels of nitric oxide (NO) and endothelial NO synthase were also assessed with colorimetry. Vascular remodeling and expression of NLRP3 inflammasome pathway‑related proteins were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Endothelin‑1 (ET‑1), interleukin (IL)‑1β and IL‑18 were assayed by ELISA. The results revealed that MCMV infection increased the blood pressure, promoted vascular remodeling, caused endothelial cell injury, and downregulated miR‑1929‑3p. However, these effects were alleviated by miR‑1929‑3p overexpression, which downregulated endothelin A receptor (Ednra) and NLRP3 inflammasome, as well as endothelial injury‑ and vascular remodeling‑related genes. Taken together, the findings of the present study indicated that overexpression of miR‑1929‑3p may improve MCMV‑induced vascular remodeling, possibly via the deactivation of the NLRP3 inflammasome by ET‑1/Ednra.

miR-1929-3p Overexpression Alleviates Murine Cytomegalovirus-Induced Hypertensive Myocardial Remodeling by Suppressing Ednra/NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in the development of essential hypertension (EH). Previously, we found that the expression of miR-1929-3p was decreased in C57BL/6 mice with hypertension induced by murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). In this study, we explored the role of miR-1929-3p in hypertension myocardial remodeling in MCMV-infected mice. First, we measured MCMV DNA and host IgG and IgM after infection and determined the expression of miR-1929-3p and its target gene endothelin A receptor (Ednra) mRNA in the myocardium of mice. Then, we performed invasive blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Heart-to-body weight ratio (HW/BW%), along with mRNA levels of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and beta myosin heavy chain (β-MHC), revealed myocardial remodeling. Hematoxylin/eosin and Masson's trichrome staining indicated morphological changes in the myocardium. Cardiac function was assessed via echocardiography. Moreover, MCMV-infected mice were injected with recombinant adeno-associated virus- (rAAV-) miR-1929-3p overexpression vector. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting showed the expression of Ednra and the activation of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. And enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed the concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-18 (IL-18). In this study, we found that decreased expression of miR-1929-3p in MCMV-infected mice induced high BP and further development of myocardial remodeling cardiac function injury through increased expression of Ednra. Strikingly, overexpression of miR-1929-3p ameliorated these pathological changes of the heart. The positive effect was shown to be associated with inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and decreased expression of key proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Collectively, these results indicate that miR-1929-3p overexpression may effectively alleviate EH myocardial remodeling by suppressing Ednra/NLRP3 inflammasome activation in MCMV-infected mice.