Linc-ROR targets FGF2 to regulate HASMC proliferation and migration via sponging miR-195-5p

Atherosclerosis is a common cardiovascular disorder and is characterized by damage of endothelial cells, cell inflammation, hyper-proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and the accumulation of extracellular lipids and fibrous tissues. In this study, we firstly examined the expression level of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA, regulator of reprogramming (linc-ROR) in homocysteine (Hcy)-stimulated human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs), and then looked into the potential molecular signaling axis of linc-ROR in regulating the proliferation and migration of HASMCs. Hcy promoted HASMC proliferation and up-regulated linc-ROR expression. Functional studies showed that linc-ROR exerted enhanced actions on the proliferation and migration of HASMCs. In addition, linc-ROR acted as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-195-5p and repressed the miR-195-5p expression in HASMCs. Linc-ROR was up-regulated the miR-195-3p was down-regulated in the plasma from CAD patients when compared to normal controls. Furthermore, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) was identified as a target of miR-195-5p and was negatively regulated by miR-195-5p in HASMCs. The rescue experiments revealed that linc-ROR-mediated HASMC proliferation and migration may be via regulating miR-195-5p/FGF2 axis. Linc-ROR inhibition blocked the miR-195-5p/FGF2 signaling in Hcy-treated HASMCs, and this effect may also involve in the miR-195-5p/FGF2 axis. To summarize, the data of the present study identified the up-regulation of linc-ROR in Hcy-stimulated HASMCs, and further mechanistic functional studies revealed that linc-ROR promoted HASMC proliferation and migration via regulating miR-195-5p/FGF2 axis. The present study provided the novel actions of linc-ROR in regulating HASMC proliferation and migration, which may be related to the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis.