Correlation between decreased plasma miR-29a and vascular endothelial injury induced by hyperlipidemia.

Abstract

Hyperlipidemia is amajor risk factor for vascular endothelial injury and atherosclerosis leading to cardiovascular diseases. Early diagnosis of vascular endothelial injury is important for the prevention and prognosis of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate sensitive circulating microRNA (miRNA) as apotential diagnostic biomarker of vascular endothelial injury in ahyperlipidemic rat model. The miRNA expression profile was detected by miRNA microarray. The hyperlipidemic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of vitamin D3 combined with ahigh-fat diet. Plasma miRNA levels were measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). No significant difference was found in the types of highly expressed miRNAs between human umbilical artery endothelial cells (HUAEC) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Atotal of 10highly expressed miRNAs in endothelial cells were selected as candidate miRNAs, including miR-21, miR-126, let-7a, miR-23a, miR-221, miR-125b, miR-26a, miR-29a, miR-16, and miR-100. The plasma levels of let-7a, miR-126, miR-21, and miR-26a were significantly elevated in hyperlipidemic rats at 30and 50days after modeling, while the plasma level of miR-29a was significantly decreased. No significant change was found in the plasma levels of miR-125b, miR-23a, miR-221, miR-100, and miR-16. Interestingly, a significant reduction in plasma miR-29 level was detected as early as 20days after modeling, which was earlier than for soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‑1 (sICAM-1). The plasma levels of endothelial cell-enriched miRNAs were correlated with vascular endothelial injury induced by hyperlipidemia. miR-29a might serve as apotential early diagnostic biomarker of endothelial injury-related diseases.