Mir-206 regulates pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell proliferation and differentiation

PLoS One. 2012;7(10):e46808. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046808. Epub 2012 Oct 10.

Abstract

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a progressive devastating disease characterized by excessive proliferation of the Pulmonary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells (PASMCs). Studies suggest that PAH and cancers share an apoptosis-resistant state featuring excessive cell proliferation. MicroRNA-206 (miR-206) is known to regulate proliferation and is implicated in various types of cancers. However, the role of miR-206 in PAH has not been studied. In this study, it is hypothesized that miR-206 could play a role in the proliferation of PASMCs. In the present study, the expression patterns of miR-206 were investigated in normal and hypertensive mouse PASMCs. The effects of miR-206 in modulating cell proliferation, apoptosis and smooth muscle cell markers in human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs) were investigated in vitro. miR-206 expression in mouse PASMCs was correlated with an increase in right ventricular systolic pressure. Reduction of miR-206 levels in hPASMCs causes increased proliferation and reduced apoptosis and these effects were reversed by the overexpression of miR-206. miR-206 over expression also increased the levels of smooth muscle cell differentiation markers α-smooth muscle actin and calponin implicating its importance in the differentiation of SMCs. miR-206 overexpression down regulated Notch-3 expression, which is key a factor in PAH development. These results suggest that miR-206 is a potential regulator of proliferation, apoptosis and differentiation of PASMCs, and that it could be used as a novel treatment strategy in PAH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics*
  • Cell Movement / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Down-Regulation
  • Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / genetics
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / metabolism
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Hypoxia
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / cytology
  • Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / metabolism*
  • Pulmonary Artery / cytology
  • Receptor, Notch3
  • Receptors, Notch / genetics
  • Receptors, Notch / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • MIRN206 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Mirn206 microRNA, mouse
  • NOTCH3 protein, human
  • Receptor, Notch3
  • Receptors, Notch