Effects of miR-150-5p on cerebral infarction rats by regulating the Wnt signaling pathway via p53.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to screen differentially expressed micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) in the plasma of patients with cerebral infarction (CI). In addition, the role of miR-150-5p in the incidence of CI is mainly explored via animal models and molecular biology experiments.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Blood samples were collected from hospitalized patients diagnosed with CI, including 15 CI patients and 15 non-CI patients as negative controls. Differentially expressed miRNAs in the plasma of these subjects were screened by microarray analysis. TargetScan was applied to predict the target genes of miR-150-5p, which were subjected to GO and pathway enrichment analyses using WebGestalt. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into Sham group (n=20), Control group (n=20), and Experimental group (n=20). CI model in rats was established in the latter two groups. Rats in Experimental group and Control group were intravenously injected with miR-150-5p mimics or miR-negative control (NC), respectively. The expressions of vital genes in the Wnt signaling pathway, including p53, Cyclin D1 (CCND1), c-Myc, β-catenin (CTNNB1) and Survivin were detected by Western blot in rats at 3 d after injection.

RESULTS

A total of 3,568 differentially expressed miRNAs were detected in the peripheral blood between CI patients and controls, whose 2,100 were upregulated, including miR-150-5p (p<0.05). The target genes of miR-150-5p were involved in molecular pathways, such as the Wnt signaling pathway, carcinogenesis, endocrine regulation, and infection. Compared with rats in Control group, the protein expression of p53 was downregulated (p<0.05), while CCND1, c-Myc, CTNNB1 and Survivin were upregulated (p<0.05) in Experimental group.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-150-5p regulates the Wnt signaling pathway and participates in cell proliferation and apoptosis by downregulating p53, which may be a potential mechanism of CI induction.