LncRNA TP73-AS1 promotes oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced apoptosis of endothelial cells in atherosclerosis by targeting the miR-654-3p/AKT3 axis

Abstract Background Although lncRNA TP73-AS1 has been shown to play important roles in various human diseases, its function in atherosclerosis (AS) remains unclear. Methods Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were treated with 50 μg/ml oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to establish an ath...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jia Ni, Zhen Huang, Dan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2021-06-01
Series:Cellular & Molecular Biology Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s11658-021-00264-x
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Summary:Abstract Background Although lncRNA TP73-AS1 has been shown to play important roles in various human diseases, its function in atherosclerosis (AS) remains unclear. Methods Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were treated with 50 μg/ml oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to establish an atherosclerotic cell model. The expression of TP73-AS1, miR-654-3p and AKT3 was detected by qRT-PCR. Cell functions were evaluated CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The protein levels of apoptosis-related proteins were evaluated by western blot. The binding relationship among TP73-AS1, miR-654-3p and AKT3 was determined by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. Results TP73-AS1 was upregulated and miR-654-3p was downregulated in ox-LDL treated HAECs. TP73-AS1 silencing and miR-654-3p mimics decreased the viability and inhibited apoptosis of ox-LDL treated HAECs, decreased the expression levels of c-caspase-9, c-caspase-3 and Bax, and increased Bcl-2 expression. In addition, miR-654-3p inhibitor significantly reversed the inhibitory effects of si-TP73-AS1 on cell viability and apoptosis. TP73-AS1 could positively regulate AKT3 through directly sponging miR-654-3p. Conclusion TP73-AS1 promoted apoptosis of ox-LDL stimulated endothelial cells by targeting the miR-654-3p/AKT3 axis, suggesting that TP73-AS1 might be a potential target for AS treatment.
ISSN:1425-8153
1689-1392