Effects of inhibiting the expression of lncRNA PVT1 on the proliferation, apoptosis and oxidative stress of vascular endothelial cells induced by hyperglycemia

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effects of inhibition of lncRNA PVT1 on the proliferation, apoptosis and oxidative stress of vascular endothelial cells induced by hyperglycemic. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured in vitro and divided into four groups: control group (5.5 mmol/L glucose), high glucose group (30 mmol/L glucose), high glucose + siNC group (30 mmol/L glucose +siNC, negative control group), HG + siPVT1 group (30 mmol/L glucose + siPVT1, lncRNA PVT1 silencing group). The expression of PVT1 after transfection was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. MTT assay was used to detect the effect of siPVT1 (small interfering RNA PVT1) on the proliferation of HUVECs cells induced by high glucose. Flow cytometry was used to detect ROS and apoptosis of HUVECs cells induced by siPVT1. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of apoptotic proteins such as Bax, Bcl-2, and cleaved caspase-3 in HUVECs cells. Results: Compared with the control group, after transfection with siPVT1, the expression level of PVT1 was decreased significantly (P＜0.05). MTT results showed that the proliferation activity of HUVECs cells in the high-glucose group was reduced significantly after 24 h and 48 h. Compared with the HG + siNC group, the proliferation activity of HUVECs cells in the HG + siPVT1 group was increased significantly (P＜0.05) after 24 h and 48 h. Flow cytometry results showed that ROS and apoptosis rate of HUVECs cells in the high-glucose group were increased significantly compared with the control group. Compared with the HG + siNC (negative control) group, ROS and apoptosis rates of HUVECs cells in the HG + siPVT1 group were reduced significantly. Compared with the control group, the expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax in the high-glucose group were significantly up-regulated, while the expression level of Bcl-2 was down-regulated. Compared with the HG + siNC group, the expression levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and Bax were down-regulated, and the expression level of Bcl-2 was up-regulated. The differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05). Conclusion: Inhibition of lncRNA PVT1 can significantly increase the proliferation activity of HUVECs cells induced by hyperglycemia, reduce oxidative stress and inhibit cell apoptosis.