title: Acupuncture may exert its therapeutic effect through microRNA-339/Sirt2/NFκB/FOXO1 axis.
abstract: Recently, we have found that a number of microRNAs (miRNAs) and proteins are involved in the response to acupuncture therapy in hypertensive rats. Our bioinformatics study suggests an association between these miRNAs and proteins, which include miR-339 and sirtuin 2 (Sirt2). In this paper, we aimed to investigate whether Sirt2 was a direct target of miR-339 in neurons. In human SH-SY5Y cells, the luciferase assay implied that Sirt2 was likely a target of miRNA-339. Overexpression of miR-339 downregulated Sirt2 expression, while knockdown of miR-339 upregulated Sirt2 expression in human SH-SY5Y cells and rat PC12 cells. In addition, overexpression of miR-399 increased the acetylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) in SH-SY5Y cells, which are known targets of Sirt2. Our findings demonstrate that miR-339 regulates Sirt2 in human and rat neurons. Since Sirt2 plays a critical role in multiple important cellular functions, our data imply that acupuncture may act through epigenetic changes and subsequent action on their targets, such as miRNA-339/Sirt2/NF-κB/FOXO1 axis. Some physiological level changes of neurons after altering the miR-339 levels are needed to validate the suggested therapeutic role of miR-339/Sirt2/NF-κB/FOXO1 axis in response to acupuncture therapy in the future work.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, College of Fundamental Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China ; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, MDC 30, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Jia-You
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, MDC 30, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, College of Fundamental Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
authors.forename: Jia-Lu
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510006, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Sheng
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, MDC 30, Tampa, FL 33612, USA ; Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Research Center and Sino-US Joint Laboratory for Medical Sciences, Guiyang Medical University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550004, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D020303:Rats, Inbred Dahl; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D056565:Sirtuin 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016328:NF-kappa B; D056565:Sirtuin 2