Ganoderic Acid A Protects Rat H9c2 Cardiomyocytes from Hypoxia-Induced Injury via Up-Regulating miR-182-5p

Ganoderic acid A (GAA) isolated from Ganoderma lucidum, shows various benefit activities, such as anti-tumor activity, anti-HIV activity and hepatoprotective activity. However, the potential effects of GAA on hypoxia-induced injury of cardiomyocytes are still unclear. In this study, we aimed to reveal the effects of GAA on hypoxic-induced H9c2 cell injury, as well as potential underlying molecular mechanisms.

Rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured in hypoxia condition with different doses of GAA. Cell viability and apoptosis were detected by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry, respectively. qRT-PCR was performed to assess the expression levels of microRNA-182-5p (miR-182-5p) and phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN). Cell transfection was conducted to change the expression levels of miR-182-5p and PTEN in H9c2 cells. Finally, protein levels of key factors involved in cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway were evaluated using western blotting.

Hypoxia treatment significantly induced H9c2 cell viability loss and apoptosis. GAA incubation remarkably protected H9c2 cells from hypoxia-induced viability loss, proliferation inhibition and apoptosis. In addition, GAA obviously enhanced the expression level of miR-182-5p in H9c2 cells. Suppression of miR-182-5p notably alleviated the protective effects of GAA on hypoxia-treated H9c2 cells. Furthermore, miR-182-5p negatively regulated the mRNA and protein levels of PTEN in H9c2 cells. GAA attenuated hypoxia-induced inactivation of PI3K/AKT pathway in H9c2 cells by up-regulating miR-182-5p and then down-regulating PTEN.

GAA protected rat H9c2 cardiomyocytes from hypoxia-induced injury might via up-regulating miR-182-5p, down-regulating PTEN and then activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.