title: MicroRNA-126 regulates EPCs function: implications for a role of miR-126 in preeclampsia.
abstract: Preeclampsia is a specific vascular complication in pregnancy, which has a pathophysiology of altered endothelial homeostasis. There is extensive evidence that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) dysfunction underlies the endothelial cells loss that occurs during preeclampsia. MicroRNA-126 (miR-126), an angiogenesis-related miRNA, has been shown to have potential angiogenic effects both in cultured endothelial cells in vitro and ischemia-induced angiogenesis in vivo. However, whether miR-126 has therapeutic potential in placental vasculogenesis of preeclampsia remains unclear. In this report, we analyzed the EPCs number and expression of miR-126 in patients with preeclampsia, then investigated the effects of miR-126 on EPCs function and rat placenta by employing up-regulation and down-regulation strategies. We confirmed that miR-126 enhanced EPCs proliferation, differentiation and migration. However, a strong reduction in EPCs function was observed in vitro after miR-126 inhibitor transfection. MiR-126 exerts pro-angiogenic functions by suppressing the synthetize of antiangiogenic factors PIK3R2. Similar to miR-126 overexpression, PIK3R2 downregulation promoted EPCs function. In pregnant rats, we also found that miR-126 increased vascular sprouting, placenta and fetus weights. These findings suggest that miR-126 is essential for angiogenic properties of EPCs in vitro and placental vasculogenesis in vivo, providing basis for an alternative therapeutic approach in patients with preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C527111:MIRN126 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: ENDOTHELIAL PROGENITOR CELLS; MICRORNA-126; PREECLAMPSIA; VASCULOGENESIS