title: MicroRNA-29a suppresses cardiac fibroblasts proliferation via targeting VEGF-A/MAPK signal pathway.
abstract: Cardiac fibroblasts proliferation is the most important pathophysiological character of cardiac fibrosis while the underlying mechanisms are still incompletely known. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding to specific sites. Studies have been indicated that miRNA-29a play a key role in cardiac fibrosis. VEGF-A carries out its functions through MAPK signaling pathway in cardiac fibrosis. Existing proofs predict that the VEGF-A is one of the potential targets of miRNA-29a. We therefore probe the role of miRNA-29a and its latent target VEGF-A during cardiac fibrosis. In our study, miRNA-29a was down-regulated while VEGF-A was up-regulated in cardiac fibrosis tissues. The rat cardiac fibroblasts that were transfected with miRNA-29a inhibitor exhibited low-expression of miRNA-29a, enhanced VEGF-A protein and mRNA expression. Nevertheless, the cardiac fibroblasts transfected with miRNA-29a mimics obtained the opposite expression result. Furthermore, over-expression of miRNA-29a suppresses cardiac fibroblasts proliferation. In conclusion, these results suggested that miRNA-29a suppresses cardiac fibrosis and fibroblasts proliferation via targeting VEGF-A/MAPK signal pathway implicating that miRNA-29a might play a role in the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China; Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China; Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Ze-Wen
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China; Cardiovascular Research Center, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230601, China. Electronic address: ayskh3@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Kai-Hu
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C532045:MIRN29a microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
keywords: Cardiac fibroblast; MicroRNA-29a; VEGF-A