The Involvement of miR-29b-3p in Arterial Calcification by Targeting Matrix Metalloproteinase-2

الملخص EN

Vascular calcification is a risk predictor and common pathological change in cardiovascular diseases that are associated with elastin degradation and phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells via gelatinase matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2).

However, the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear.

In this study, we investigated the relationships between miR-29b-3p and MMP2, to confirm miR-29b-3p-mediated MMP2 expression at the posttranscriptional level in arterial calcification.

In male Sprague Dawley rats, arterial calcification was induced by subcutaneous injection of a toxic dose of cholecalciferol.

In vivo, the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) showed that MMP2 expression was upregulated in calcified arterial tissues, and miR-29b-3p expression was downregulated.

There was a negative correlation between MMP2 mRNA expression and miR-29b-3p levels (P=0.0014, R2=0.481).

Western blotting showed that MMP2 expression was significantly increased in rats treated with cholecalciferol.

In vitro, overexpression of miR-29b-3p led to decreased MMP2 expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells, while downregulation of miR-29b-3p expression led to increased MMP2 expression.

Moreover, the luciferase reporter assay confirmed that MMP2 is the direct target of miR-29b-3p.

Together, our results demonstrated that a role of miR-29b-3p in vascular calcification involves targeting MMP2.