Silencing of Long Noncoding RNA Zinc Finger Antisense 1 Protects Against Hypoxia/Reoxygenation-induced Injury in HL-1 Cells Through Targeting the miR-761/Cell Death Inducing p53 Target 1 Axis

Abstract

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Long noncoding RNAs have demonstrated to be associated with AMI pathogenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function and mechanism of zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) on hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced injury in HL-1 cells. The levels of ZFAS1, miR-761, and cell death-inducing p53 target 1 (CDIP1) in the serum of AMI patients and HL-1 cells were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Lactate dehydrogenase release, malondialdehyde content, superoxide dismutase expression, and glutathione peroxidase were evaluated using commercially corresponding assay kits. Targeted interactions among ZFAS1, miR-761, and CDIP1 were validated by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays. Our data indicated that ZFAS1 was upregulated and miR-761 was downregulated in the serum of patients with AMI and H/R-induced HL-1 cells. ZFAS1 silencing or miR-761 overexpression alleviated H/R-induced injury in HL-1 cells. Moreover, ZFAS1 acted as a sponge to sequester miR-761, and CDIP1 was directly targeted and inhibited by miR-761. ZFAS1 knockdown protected HL-1 cell from H/R-induced injury through miR-761, and CDIP1 mediated the alleviated effect of miR-761 overexpression on H/R-induced HL-1 cell injury. Furthermore, ZFAS1 regulated CDIP1 expression through acting as a miR-761 sponge. In addition, CDIP1 silencing protected HL-1 cell from H/R-induced injury. Our current work suggested that the knockdown of ZFAS1 protected against H/R-induced injury in HL-1 cells at least partly through the regulation of miR-761/CDIP1 axis, illuminating a novel therapeutic avenue for AMI management.