PVT1 regulates inflammation and cardiac function via the MAPK/NF-κB pathway in a sepsis model

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of plasmacytoma variant translocation gene 1 (PVT1) in the occurrence and development of sepsis-induced inflammation and cardiac dysfunction and its underlying mechanism. A sepsis rat model was first established by cecal ligation and puncture. The mRNA levels of PVT1 and microRNA-143 in the myocardial tissues of rats were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis. Cardiac function, levels of myocardial injury markers and inflammatory indicators were detected following PVT1 knockdown. The regulatory effect of microRNA-143 on PVT1 was assessed using a luciferase reporter gene assay and RT-qPCR analysis. The specific role of PVT1 in regulating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway was detected using western blot analysis. PVT1 was downregulated and microRNA-143 was upregulated in the myocardial tissues of sepsis rats. The left ventricular peak pressure was markedly decreased in the sepsis rats. By contrast, the left ventricular end diastolic pressure, levels of inflammatory indicators, myocardial injury markers and complement proteins of C5 and C5a were increased in the sepsis rats. The above changes were reversed by PVT1 knockdown or the upregulation of microRNA-143. MicroRNA-143 was confirmed as being bound to PVT1 using the luciferase reporter gene assay and RT-qPCR analysis. Upregulated PVT1 was capable of activating the MAPK/NF-κB pathway. Taken together, PVT1 was upregulated in the myocardial tissues of sepsis rats, which inhibited cardiac function and promoted the secretion of inflammatory factors; and the mechanism was associated with the MAPK/NF-κB pathway.