Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Tianyou Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Department of General Practice, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2023 Mar 1;81(3):192-202. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000001391.
Nowadays, there is limited prevention and treatment for myocardial fibrosis in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Our study aimed to depict the mechanism of the lncRNA TUG1/miR-145a-5p/Cfl2 axis in DCM and to provide a molecular basis for the study of this disease. Male C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin to establish DCM mouse models. The expression levels of lncRNA TUG1, miR-145a-5p, and Cfl2 in myocardial tissues of mice were tested by RT-qPCR or Western blot. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. The contents of Ang-II, TNF-α, and IL-1β were measured using ELISA. The histopathological observation was performed by HE staining and Masson staining. The expression levels of myocardial fibrosis-related genes COL1A1, MMP2, and FN1 were determined by RT-qPCR. In addition, bioinformatics website, RIP assay, pull-down assay, and luciferase activity assay were conducted to verify the relationships of lncRNA TUG1, miR-145a-5p, and Cfl2. In the DCM mouse model, lncRNA TUG1 and Cfl2 expression levels were upregulated and miR-145a-5p expression was downregulated. Downregulation of lncRNA TUG1 improved cardiac function and myocardial fibrosis; decreased COL1A1, MMP2, and FN1 expression levels; as well as TNF-α, IL-1β, and Ang-II contents in myocardial tissues of DCM mice. Upregulation of miR-145a-5p showed the same trend as downregulation of lncRNA TUG1. In addition, upregulating miR-145a-5p reversed the promotion roles of lncRNA TUG1 on myocardial fibrosis in DCM mice, and upregulating Cfl2 compromised the improvement effect of downregulated lncRNA TUG1 on myocardial fibrosis in DCM mice. Mechanistically, there was a binding site between lncRNA TUG1 and miR-145a-5p, and miR-145a-5p had a targeting relationship with Cfl2. This study highlights that lncRNA TUG1 sponges miR-145a-5p to aggravate myocardial fibrosis in DCM mice by promoting Cfl2.
目前,针对糖尿病心肌病(DCM)心肌纤维化的防治手段有限。本研究旨在阐述 lncRNA TUG1/miR-145a-5p/Cfl2 轴在 DCM 中的作用机制,为该病的研究提供分子基础。雄性 C57BL/6J 小鼠经腹腔注射链脲佐菌素建立 DCM 小鼠模型。采用 RT-qPCR 或 Western blot 检测小鼠心肌组织中 lncRNA TUG1、miR-145a-5p 和 Cfl2 的表达水平。通过超声心动图评估心功能。采用 ELISA 法检测 Ang-II、TNF-α 和 IL-1β 的含量。通过 HE 染色和 Masson 染色进行组织病理学观察。采用 RT-qPCR 检测心肌纤维化相关基因 COL1A1、MMP2 和 FN1 的表达水平。此外,通过生物信息学网站、RIP 实验、下拉实验和荧光素酶活性实验验证 lncRNA TUG1、miR-145a-5p 和 Cfl2 之间的关系。在 DCM 小鼠模型中,lncRNA TUG1 和 Cfl2 的表达水平上调,miR-145a-5p 的表达水平下调。下调 lncRNA TUG1 可改善 DCM 小鼠的心功能和心肌纤维化;降低 COL1A1、MMP2 和 FN1 表达水平;以及降低 DCM 小鼠心肌组织中 TNF-α、IL-1β 和 Ang-II 的含量。上调 miR-145a-5p 表现出与下调 lncRNA TUG1 相同的趋势。此外,上调 miR-145a-5p 逆转了 lncRNA TUG1 对 DCM 小鼠心肌纤维化的促进作用,上调 Cfl2 削弱了下调 lncRNA TUG1 对 DCM 小鼠心肌纤维化的改善作用。机制上,lncRNA TUG1 与 miR-145a-5p 之间存在结合位点,miR-145a-5p 与 Cfl2 存在靶向关系。本研究表明,lncRNA TUG1 通过海绵吸附 miR-145a-5p 促进 Cfl2 的表达,从而加重 DCM 小鼠的心肌纤维化。