MicroRNA-29c-3p and -126a Contribute to the Decreased Angiogenic Potential of Aging Endothelial Progenitor Cells

EPCs play important roles in the maintenance of vascular repair and health. Aging is associated with both reduced numbers and functional impairment of EPCs, leading to diminished angiogenic capacity, impaired cardiac repair, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The molecular mechanisms that govern EPC function in cardiovascular health are not fully understood, but there is increasing evidence that microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in modulating EPC functionality, endothelial homeostasis, and vascular repair. We aimed to determine how aging alters endothelial progenitor (EPC) health and functionality by altering key miRNA-mRNA pathways. To identify key miRNA-mRNA pathways contributing to diminished EPC functionality associated with aging, microRNA and mRNA profiling were conducted in EPCs from young and aged C57BL/6 mice. We identified a complex aging-associated regulatory network involving two miRNAs-miR-29c-3p and -126a-that acted in tandem to impair vascular endothelial growth factor signaling through targeting Klf2 and Spred1, respectively. The modulation of components of the miR-29c-3p-Klf2-miR-126a-Spred-1-Vegf signaling pathway altered EPC self-renewal capacity, vascular tube formation, and migration in vitro, as well as cardiac repair in vivo. The miR-29c-3p-Klf2-miR-126a-Spred1-Vegf signaling axis plays a critical role in regulating the aging-associated deficits in EPC-mediated vascular repair and CVD risk.