miR-143 is involved in endothelial cell dysfunction through suppression of glycolysis and correlated with atherosclerotic plaques formation.

OBJECTIVE

Atherosclerosis is recognized as a chronic inflammatory disease leading to hardening of the vessel wall and narrowing of arteries. Endothelial cells (ECs) exhibit highly active glycolysis, the dysfunction of which leads to accumulation of lipids in the arterial wall and formation of atherosclerotic plaque.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

qRT-PCR was performed to compare the deregulated miR-143 between atherosclerotic plaque and normal vessel tissues. The direct target of miR-143 was verified by Western blot and luciferase assay. The metabolic enzymes in atherosclerotic plaque and normal vessel tissues were measured. HUVECs were transfected with miR-143 precursor or control microRNAs, and glucose uptake, lactate production, intracellular ATP, and oxygen consumption were measured.

RESULTS

In this study, we report a correlation between up-regulated miR-143, EC dysfunction, and atherosclerotic plaque formation. The glycolysis rate was significantly elevated in ECs, which show relatively low levels of miR-143. Importantly, miR-143 was upregulated in clinical atherosclerotic plaque samples compared with healthy arteries, suggesting that miR-143 might play important roles in the atherosclerotic plaque formation. Moreover, mRNA levels of key enzymes of glycolysis, such as HK2, LDHA, and PKM2 are significantly down-regulated in the atherosclerotic plaque samples. Overexpression of miR-143 in HUVECs suppresses glycolysis through direct targeting of HK2, leading to EC dysfunction. Restoration of HK2 expression rescues glycolysis in miR-143-overexpressing HUVECs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides further insight into the metabolic mechanisms involved in atherosclerotic plaque formation due to microRNAs.