Nan Hu1, Xixi Zeng2, Feifei Tang3, Sizheng Xiong4. 1. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei, 442000, China. 2. Department of Anatomy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China. 3. Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei, China. 4. Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, 430030, China. Electronic address: D201981805@hust.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It has been reported that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LIPCAR is involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of LIPCAR on regulating the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis remains unclear. METHODS: Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to detect the levels of LIPCAR in the plasma of patients with atherosclerosis and in THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 cells were stimulated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to induce foam cell formation. Furthermore, Transwell assay was carried out to evaluate the migration ability of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). RESULTS: The expression of LIPCAR in the plasma of patients with atherosclerosis was significantly higher compared with that in healthy subjects, while LIPCAR knockdown notably reversed ox-LDL-induced THP-1 cell apoptosis. In addition, LIPCAR was upregulated in exosomes derived from THP-1 cells treated with ox-LDL (THP-1/ox-LDL Exo). Furthermore, THP-1/ox-LDL Exo significantly increased the expression levels of CDK2 and proliferative cell nuclear antigen in human VSMCs, while these effects were reversed following LIPCAR silencing. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggested that exosomal lncRNA LIPCAR derived from ox-LDL modified THP-1 cells could promote the progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore, LIPCAR may be considered as a novel biomarker for the development of new strategies to treat atherosclerosis.
BACKGROUND: It has been reported that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LIPCAR is involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of LIPCAR on regulating the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis remains unclear. METHODS: Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to detect the levels of LIPCAR in the plasma of patients with atherosclerosis and in THP-1 macrophages. THP-1 cells were stimulated with oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to induce foam cell formation. Furthermore, Transwell assay was carried out to evaluate the migration ability of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). RESULTS: The expression of LIPCAR in the plasma of patients with atherosclerosis was significantly higher compared with that in healthy subjects, while LIPCAR knockdown notably reversed ox-LDL-induced THP-1 cell apoptosis. In addition, LIPCAR was upregulated in exosomes derived from THP-1 cells treated with ox-LDL (THP-1/ox-LDL Exo). Furthermore, THP-1/ox-LDL Exo significantly increased the expression levels of CDK2 and proliferative cell nuclear antigen in human VSMCs, while these effects were reversed following LIPCAR silencing. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggested that exosomal lncRNA LIPCAR derived from ox-LDL modified THP-1 cells could promote the progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore, LIPCAR may be considered as a novel biomarker for the development of new strategies to treat atherosclerosis.