miR-3150b-3p Promotes Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Injury by Targeting ARL5B

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Molecular Medicine
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Coronary heart disease (CHD) presents a significant global mortality challenge.
• Understanding novel molecular mechanisms and biomarkers is crucial for effective CHD management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the expression levels of miR-3150b-3p in patients with CHD.
• To explore the underlying mechanisms of miR-3150b-3p in CHD pathogenesis.
• To evaluate miR-3150b-3p as a potential diagnostic biomarker for CHD.

Main Methods:

• Serum samples from 110 CHD patients and 120 hypertensive patients were analyzed for miR-3150b-3p expression using qRT-PCR.
• Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis assessed diagnostic value; Pearson analysis correlated miR-3150b-3p levels with CHD severity.
• In vitro studies utilized oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to induce human vascular smooth muscle cells (HVSMCs), assessing cell viability, inflammatory markers, and oxidative stress, alongside molecular interaction studies (luciferase and RIP assays) to confirm miR-3150b-3p targeting of ARL5B.

Main Results:

• Serum miR-3150b-3p levels were significantly upregulated in CHD patients compared to controls and positively correlated with CHD severity.
• ROC curve analysis confirmed the robust diagnostic capability of miR-3150b-3p for CHD.
• In vitro, miR-3150b-3p inhibition mitigated ox-LDL-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in HVSMCs, decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) and increasing superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The interaction between miR-3150b-3p and its target gene ARL5B was validated.

Conclusions:

• Elevated serum miR-3150b-3p levels serve as a potential indicator for CHD and are linked to disease severity.
• miR-3150b-3p influences cellular functions relevant to CHD pathology, including inflammation and oxidative stress.
• The validated targeting of ARL5B by miR-3150b-3p identifies a novel molecular pathway and presents miR-3150b-3p as a promising target for early CHD diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.