miR-328a-3p stimulates endothelial cell migration and tubulogenesis

Endothelial cells have important biological roles after peripheral nerve injury by forming blood vessels within the nerve gap and guiding Schwann cell migration. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) affect cellular behavior and regulate a wide variety of physiological and pathological activities, including peripheral nerve regeneration. Emerging studies have identified the essential roles of miRNAs in the phenotype modulation of Schwann cells, while the effects of miRNAs on endothelial cells have remained to be thoroughly investigated. miR-328a-3p was differentially expressed in peripheral nerve stumps after nerve injury. In the present study, the effects of miR-328a-3p on biological functions of endothelial cells were determined by transfecting cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with miR-328a-3p mimics or inhibitor. Transfection with miR-328a-3p mimics led to slightly decreased HUVEC proliferation and robustly increased HUVEC migration and tubulogenesis, while transfection with miR-328a-3p inhibitor led to opposite results. Using bioinformatics analysis, potential regulators and effectors of miR-328a-3p were further discovered and a miR-328a-3p-centered competing endogenous RNA network was constructed. Collectively, the present study demonstrated that dysregulated miR-328a-3p after peripheral nerve injury may affect the migration and angiogenesis of endothelial cells and contribute to peripheral nerve regeneration.