title: MicroRNA-200a is up-regulated in aged rats with erectile dysfunction and could attenuate endothelial function via SIRT1 inhibition.
abstract: MiR-200a was shown to be upregulated in the corpus cavernosum (CC) of rats with aging-related erectile dysfunction (A-ED) in our previous study. Among its target genes, SIRT1 was also reported as a protective factor in erectile function by our groups previously. Thus, miR-200a might attenuate the erectile function in A-ED via SIRT1 inhibition. In the present study, three animal groups were included: aged rats with ED (group AE, n = 8), aged rats with normal erectile function (group AN, n = 8), and young rats as normal controls (group YN, n = 8). CCs from each group were collected for histological and molecular measurements to validate the dysregulation of miR-200a and SIRT1. After that, the cavernous endothelial cells (CECs) from CC of aged rats with normal erectile function were transfected with miR-200a in vitro. Then the expression of SIRT1 and molecules within the eNOS/NO/PKG pathway were measured to investigate whether the transfection could imitate the attenuated process of erectile function in the aged. As a result, miR-200a was upregulated while the SIRT1, the levels of eNOS and cGMP were all downregulated in the CCs from AE group. After transfection in vitro, the miR-200a was upregulated while the SIRT1 and levels of eNOS and cGMP were obviously downregulated. Finally, based on the results of our previous study, we further verify that up-regulation of miR-200a could participate in the mechanisms of A-ED via SIRT1 inhibition, and mainly attenuate endothelial function via influencing the eNOS/NO/PKGpathway.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Xue-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Qi-Peng
authors.initials: QP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chen-Yu
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lian-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Andrology, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Xia
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital, School of Medicine, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Tian
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004727:Endothelium / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D056564:Sirtuin 1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C555600:MIRN200 microRNA, rat; D035683:MicroRNAs; C488368:Sirt1 protein, rat; D056564:Sirtuin 1