title: Expression of Egfl7 and miRNA-126-5p in Symptomatic Carotid Artery Disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neoangiogenesis inside the atherosclerotic plaques has been linked to progression of the disease. Egfl7, a key player in adult angiogenesis, was found to be upregulated in response to vascular injury in rats. Egfl7 encodes for miR-126-3p and miR-126-5p. Specific information about miRNA-126-5p and its expression in cardiovascular disease is scarce in comparison to that of miR-126-3p.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A gene expression study was conducted to investigate the levels of Egfl7 and miRNA126-5p in human carotid artery atherosclerotic plaques aiming to gain a better understanding of the role of neoangiogenesis within plaques and the mechanisms causing atherosclerosis progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Egfl7 and miR-126-5p levels were studied in 14 plaque samples and 14 control samples using real-time PCR. The fold change between the carotid artery plaque tissue and control tissue was calculated using the 2(-ΔΔCT) method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Egfl7 was upregulated in the 11 plaque samples compared to controls, while expression levels of miR-126-5p was higher in eight of the plaque samples and lower in six as compared to control samples. Upregulation of miR-126-5p expression was correlated with high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (p = 0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that the upregulation of Egfl7 promotes neoangiogenesis within the plaques, contributing to disease progression.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University , Istanbul, Turkey .|2 Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Istanbul Bilgi University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Çiğdem
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Sezer Zhmurov
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Timirci-Kahraman
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Istanbul Bilgi University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Fatimat'ul Zahara
authors.initials: FZ
authors.lastname: Amadou
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medical Park Gebze Hospital , Kocaeli, Turkey .
authors.forename: Osman
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fazlıoğulları
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medicana Bahcelievler Hospital , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Başaran
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Uskudar University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Tunc
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Catal
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Ümit
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Zeybek
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Istanbul Technical University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bermek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; C527877:EGFL7 protein, human; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; C527111:MIRN126 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs