MIRNA-146A PROMOTES PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION OF VASCULAR SMOOTH MUSCLE CELLS IN RATS WITH CORONARY HEART DISEASE BY UPREGULATING EXPRESSION OF NUCLEAR FACTOR-ΚBP65 AND PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN

Zhongqing Chen¹, Dandan Hou¹, Wei Wang^2*

¹The Cadre ward of Heart Center, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China - 2 Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Objective: To explore the effect and mechanism of microRNA-146a (miRNA-146a) on the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) in rats with coronary heart disease by upregulating the expression of nuclear factor-κBp (NF-κB) p65 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

Methods: Twenty-four healthy male SD rats were sacrificed by vertebral sacrifice, and their VSMC were isolated and cultured. After passage, the third-generation VSMC were randomly divided into a blank control group, negative control group, miRNA-146a group and cells after 24 h. Transfection was performed when fusion reached 65%. VSMC in the miRNA-146a group were transfected with 50 nmol/L miRNA-146 inhibitor, VSMC in the negative control group were transfected with a 50 nmol/L miRNA-146 control and VSMC in the blank control group cells were transfected with the same dose of Lipofectamine 2000 and PBS. The relative expression levels of miRNA-146a, cell migration numbers, NF-κBp65 and PCNA expression levels, VSMC proliferation and OD values in each group of VSMC were compared at 0 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h.

Results: The relative expression levels of miRNA-146a were significantly lower in the VSMC of the miR-146a group than in the blank control group (p<0.05). The relative expression of miRNA-146a in the VSMC of the blank control group was not statistically different from that of the negative control group (p>0.05). At 12 h, 24 h and 48 h, the number of VSMC in the miR-146a group was significantly lower than in the blank control group (p<0.05). At 24 h and 48 h, the OD value of VSMC in the miR-146a group was significantly lower than in the blank control group (p<0.05). The number of VSMC and OD values of the blank control group in each time period were not statistically significant compared with the negative control group (p>0.05). The migration number of VSMC in the miR-146a group was significantly lower than in the blank control group (p<0.05). Compared with the negative control group, the migration number of VSMC in the blank control group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The expression levels of NF-κBp65 and PCNA protein in the VSMC of the miR-146a group were significantly lower than in the blank control group (p<0.05). The expression levels of NF-κBp65 and PCNA protein in the VSMC of the blank control group were not statistically significant compared with the negative control group (p>0.05).

Conclusion: miRNA-146a can promote the proliferation and migration of VSMC in rats with coronary heart disease through the mechanism of upregulating the expression of NF-κBp65 and PCNA.