Xiangrao Li1, Jian Zhou2, Kai Huang1. 1. Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China. 2. Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Xinyang Central Hospital, Xinyang, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The expression of a novel lncRNA, myocardial infarction associated transcript 1(Mirt1), has been shown to be upregulated in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the role of Mirt1 in AMI is not clear. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the level of Mirt1 in cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts in AMI mice. Moreover, adenovirus mediated knockdown of Mirt1 was employed to clarify its roles in AMI mice or cultured cardiac fibroblasts. The cardiac functions and infarct size of AMI mice were examined, and tissues and cultured cells were collected and processed for histology and biochemical examination. RESULTS: We demonstrated that Mirt1 was mainly expressed in cardiac fibroblasts, and that knockdown of Mirt1 improved cardiac functions, decreased cardiomyocytes apoptosis and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of Mirt1 in cardiac fibroblasts not only attenuated the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, but also suppressed the migration of macrophages under hypoxia in vitro. NF-κB signaling pathway, activated under hypoxia, was also inhibited by Mirt1 knockdown in fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of Mirt1 attenuates AMI injury presumably by decreasing cardiomyocytes apoptosis and reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. These effects could be attributed, at least partly, to inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, resulting in decreased expression of inflammatory factors.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The expression of a novel lncRNA, myocardial infarction associated transcript 1(Mirt1), has been shown to be upregulated in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, the role of Mirt1 in AMI is not clear. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the level of Mirt1 in cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts in AMI mice. Moreover, adenovirus mediated knockdown of Mirt1 was employed to clarify its roles in AMI mice or cultured cardiac fibroblasts. The cardiac functions and infarct size of AMI mice were examined, and tissues and cultured cells were collected and processed for histology and biochemical examination. RESULTS: We demonstrated that Mirt1 was mainly expressed in cardiac fibroblasts, and that knockdown of Mirt1 improved cardiac functions, decreased cardiomyocytes apoptosis and attenuated inflammatory cell infiltration in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of Mirt1 in cardiac fibroblasts not only attenuated the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, but also suppressed the migration of macrophages under hypoxia in vitro. NF-κB signaling pathway, activated under hypoxia, was also inhibited by Mirt1 knockdown in fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS:Knockdown of Mirt1 attenuates AMI injury presumably by decreasing cardiomyocytes apoptosis and reducing inflammatory cell infiltration. These effects could be attributed, at least partly, to inhibition of the NF-κB pathway, resulting in decreased expression of inflammatory factors.