Effect of microRNA‐26a on vascular endothelial cell injury caused by lower extremity ischemia–reperfusion injury through the AMPK pathway by targeting PFKFB3

Abstract

Vascular endothelial cell (VEC) dysfunction plays an important role in the ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-related diseases, and microRNAs (miRNAs) are key factors during this process. We conducted this study to investigate whether miRNA-26a (miR-26a) has effect on the IRI-induced VEC injury via the AMPK pathway by targeting 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase-fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3). IRI rat models were successfully constructed by an abdominal incision. Additionally, the cultured VECs were further treated with miR-26a mimic or inhibitor, and si-PFKFB3. Both the reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the western blot assay method were carried out to examine the expressions of PFKFB3, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and 5'-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α1, as well as the extent of the AMPK α1 phosphorylation levels in vascular tissues. Circulating endothelial cell (CEC), von Willebrand factor (VWF), thrombomodulin (TM), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and endothelin (ET) were all measured. In the rat model of an IRI, a poorly expressed miR-26a and contrarily highly expressed PFKFB3 were identified in vascular tissues. In response to an overexpression of miR-26a or to the PFKFB3 gene silencing, decreased CEC number, TM, VWF, MDA, and ET contents, increased AMPK α1, and eNOS levels, as well as the extent of AMPK α1 phosphorylation coordinate with both increased SOD and NO contents based on the restoration of the AMPK pathway. Overexpression of the miR-26a or si-PFKFB3 provides an elevation in cell proliferation. Our study suggests that the miR-26a RNA alleviates lower extremity IRI-induced VEC injury in rats through the activation of the AMPK pathway by inhibiting PFKFB3.

Role of Programmed Cell Death 4 (PDCD4)-Mediated Akt Signaling Pathway in Vascular Endothelial Cell Injury Caused by Lower-Extremity Ischemia-Reperfusion in Rats

“…Wu et al reported that miR-26a can inhibit PFKFB3 in a targeted manner, thereby reducing VEC injury caused by lower-extremity ischemia-reperfusion. After miR-26a overexpression or silencing of PFKFB3 expression in VEC, it was reported that CEC count and expression levels of TM and vWF all were markedly decreased in vascular tissues of mice with IRI [28]. In the present study, we found that the control group had lower CEC, TM, and vWF levels than in the other groups.…”

Sorting Mechanisms for MicroRNAs into Extracellular Vesicles and Their Associated Diseases

“…Further, EV-mediated delivery of miR-126 improved endothelial barrier function in an in vitro model [60]. Functionally, miR-126 has been shown to protect endothelial cells against H/R mediated damage, while miR-26a protects endothelial cells against ischemia-reperfusion injury [62,63]. Finally, miR-126 inhibits expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), which functions to bind leukocytes and promotes inflammation [64].…”

YAP nuclear‐cytoplasmic translocation is regulated by mechanical signaling, protein modification, and metabolism

“…YAP is an important effector of the Hippo pathway, and plays important roles in regulating cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation (Feng et al, 2016; Huang et al, 2016). The role of YAP in organ development, tumorigenesis and metastasis, and regenerative medicine has received increasing attention (Zhu et al, 2018; Moya and Halder, 2019; Wu et al, 2019). YAP, which is a transcriptional coactivator, is distributed in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, and its localization affects its function.…”