LncRNA UCA1 stimulates the repair of hyperglycemic vascular smooth muscle cells through targeting miR-582-5p.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) UCA1 in inducing the repair of hyperglycemic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) by targeting microRNA-582-5p (miR-582-5p), thus alleviating diabetic angiopathy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Arterial vessels and serum exosomes were collected from 40 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and 40 non-T2DM patients. Relative levels of UCA1 and miR-582-5p in collected samples were detected. Then, the interaction between UCA1 and miR-582-5p was assessed by Dual-Luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, the regulatory effects of UCA1 and miR-582-5p on VSMCs phenotypes were determined.

RESULTS

Results showed that compared with non-T2DM patients, UCA1 was markedly downregulated, while miR-582-5p was upregulated in VSMCs and serum exosomes of T2DM patients. They exerted a negative expression correlation between each other. Besides, miR-582-5p was the direct target of UCA1. Under the induction of increased doses of glucose, UCA1 stimulated proliferative and invasive abilities in VSMCs. MiR-582-5p was responsible for the repairability of UCA1 in VSMCs under the hyperglycemia state.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA UCA1 induces the repair of hyperglycemic VSMCs via negatively regulating miR-582-5p. UCA1 may be a novel target for T2DM diagnosis and treatment.