title: Regulation of apoptosis by long non-coding RNA HIF1A-AS1 in VSMCs: implications for TAA pathogenesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in diverse biological processes, such as transcriptional regulation, cell growth and tumorigenesis. However, little was known about whether lncRNA HIF 1 alpha-antisense RNA 1 (HIF1a-AS1) in regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of VSMCs in vitro and the expression of HIF1a-AS1 in serum of TAA patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cell viability was detected by the CCK8 assay. The cell apoptosis was assessed by annexin V-PI double-labeling staining. Expression of genes and proteins were analyzed by real-time PCR and western blotting respectively. Cells were transfected with siRNAs as a gene silencing methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In serum of TAA patients, the expression of HIF1a-AS1 was significantly increased (superior to 6 folds) compared to the normal control. Moreover, PA induced cell apoptosis in VSMCs in a time- and dose-dependent manner, and the proportion of the apoptotic cells had gained as compared to untreatment group. PA also induced upregulation expression of HIF1a-AS1. We also found that transfection of cells with HIF1a-AS1 siRNA decreased the expression of caspase3 and caspase8 and increased the expression of Bcl2, and protected PA-induced cell apoptosis in VSMCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIF1a-AS1 was overexpressed in the thoracoabdominal aorta aneurysm and the interaction between HIF1a-AS1 and apoptotic proteins plays a key role in the proliferation and apoptosis of VSMCs in vitro, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of thoracoabdominal aorta aneurysm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Yongbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Guangxing
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Yanzhi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Hebei General Hospital Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Yuehong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Weichao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
keywords: HIF 1alpha-antisense RNA 1; Thoracoabdominal aorta aneurysm; long non-coding RNA; vascular smooth muscle cells