Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a class of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which are widely expressed in mammals and tissue-specific, of which some could act as critical regulators in the atherogenesis of cerebrovascular disease. However, the underlying mechanisms by which circRNA regulates the ectopic phenotype of endothelial cells (ECs) in atherosclerosis remain largely elusive. CCK-8, transwell, wound healing and Matrigel assays were used to assess cell viability, migration and tube formation. QRT-qPCR and Immunoblotting were used to examine targeted gene expression in different groups. The binding sites of miR-370-3p (miR-370) with TGFβR2 or hsa_circ_0003204 (circ_0003204) were predicted using a series of bioinformatic tools, and validated using dual luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The localization of circ_0003204 and miR-370 in ECs were investigated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Gene function and pathways were enriched through Metascape and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). The association of circ_0003204 and miR-370 in extracellular vesicles (EVs) with clinical characteristics of patients were investigated using multiple statistical analysis. Circ_0003204, mainly located in the cytoplasm of human aorta endothelial cells (HAECs), was upregulated in the ox-LDL-induced HAECs. Functionally, the ectopic expression of circ_0003204 inhibited proliferation, migration and tube formation of HAECs exposed to ox-LDL. Mechanically, circ_0003204 could promote protein expression of TGFβR2 and its downstream phosph-SMAD3 through sponging miR-370, and miR-370 targeted the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of TGFβR2. Furthermore, the expression of circ_0003204 in plasma EVs was upregulated in the patients with cerebral atherosclerosis, and represented a potential biomarker for diangnosis and prognosis of cerebrovascular atherogenesis. Circ_0003204 could act as a novel stimulator for ectopic endothelial inactivation in atherosclerosis and a potential biomarker for cerebral atherosclerosis.
Highlights
Concerns were raised regarding a number of figures, : Figure 2E: the CTL/NC panel appears to partially overlap with the oxLDL/SIS3 panel of Fig. 5G; Figure 2F: the 0 h si-circ_0003204 panel appears to be identical with the 0 h panel of Fig. 5C; Figure 2G: the CTL and ox-LLD panels for sicirc_0003204 appear to partially overlap; Figure 2G: the ox-LDL panels for si-NC and NC appear to partially overlap; Figure 5B: the inhibitor NC and miR-370 inhibitor panels for siRNA NC appear to be identical; Figure 5C: the last panel appears to be identical to the second panel of Fig. 5H
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Summary
Figure 2E: the CTL/NC panel appears to partially overlap with the oxLDL/SIS3 panel of Fig. 5G; Figure 2F: the 0 h si-circ_0003204 panel appears to be identical with the 0 h panel of Fig. 5C; Figure 2G: the CTL and ox-LLD panels for sicirc_0003204 appear to partially overlap; Figure 2G: the ox-LDL panels for si-NC and NC appear to partially overlap; Figure 5B: the inhibitor NC and miR-370 inhibitor panels for siRNA NC appear to be identical; Figure 5C: the last panel appears to be identical to the second panel of Fig. 5H. Retraction Note to: Circular RNA circ_0003204 inhibits proliferation, migration and tube formation of endothelial cell in atherosclerosis via miR‐370‐3p/TGFβR2/ phosph‐SMAD3 axis
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