Relationship between arterial atheromatous plaque morphology and platelet-associated miR-126 and miR-223 expressions.

OBJECTIVE

To study the expression of miR-126 and miR-223 in platelet of rabbit arterial plaque models, and explore its correlation with plaque morphology.

METHODS

Rabbit arterial plaque models were established, peripheral blood of models and control animals was collected. Plaque morphologies were divided into type I, type II and type III based on angiography plaque morphology and Ambrose method. Platelet isolation kit was applied to isolate and purify peripheral blood platelets, CD45 immunomagnetic beads were used to remove the residual white blood cells. The miRNAs of platelets was extracted by miRNA Isolation Kit, and expressions of miR-126 and miR-223 of the platelets samples were detected by Real-time PCR. The correlation between plaque morphology and platelet-associated miR-126 and miR-223 expressions were analyzed. Expressions of target gene VCAM-1 and P2Y12 receptors of miR-126 and miR-223 in the atherosclerosis plaque of rabbit model were detected by Western blot.

RESULTS

Relative expression levels of miR-126 and miR-223 in the model group were 0.27±0.10 and 0.71±0.14, respectively. Plaque morphology was divided into types I, II and III; and miR-126 and miR-223 expression levels were detected in each type. Expression levels of miR-126 in each type were 0.42±0.07, 0.17±0.11 and 0.22±0.15, respectively; and expression levels of miR-223 in each type are 0.68±0.02, 0.57±0.06 and 0.88±0.10, respectively. Relative to the control group, miR-126 and miR-223 known target genes in VCAM-1 and P2Y12 receptors increased platelets in rabbit atherosclerotic plaque models (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Relative to normal control animals, miR-126 and miR-223 platelets were reduced in the rabbit atherosclerotic plaque model group (P<0.05). In the type II plaque morphology group, miR-126 was greatly reduced; and there is no significant correlation between miR-223 and plaque morphology.