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BMC Pulmonary Medicine
Published in: BMC Pulmonary Medicine 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Hypertension | Research

Emodin inhibits viability, proliferation and promotes apoptosis of hypoxic human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via targeting miR-244-5p/DEGS1 axis

Authors: Li Yi, JunFang Liu, Ming Deng, Huihua Zuo, Mingyan Li

Published in: BMC Pulmonary Medicine | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to determine the effects of emodin on the viability, proliferation and apoptosis of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) under hypoxia and to explore the underling molecular mechanisms.

Methods

PASMCs were cultured in a hypoxic environment (1% oxygen) and then treated with emodin. Cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated using CCK-8 assay, EdU staining assay, western blot and Mito-tracker red CMXRos and Annexin V-FITC apoptosis detection assay. The microRNA (miRNA)/mRNA and protein expression levels were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting, respectively. Based on transcriptomics and proteomics were used to identify potential signaling pathways. Luciferase reporter assay was utilized to examine the interaction between miR-244-5p and DEGS1.

Results

Emodin at 40 and 160 µM concentration-dependently suppressed cell viability, proliferation and migration, but enhanced cell apoptosis of PASMCs under hypoxia. Transcriptomic and proteomic analysis revealed that emodin could attenuate the activity of PI3K/Akt signaling in PASMCs under hypoxia. In addition, delta 4-desaturase, sphingolipid 1 (DEGS1) was found to be a direct target of miR-244-5p. Emodin could significantly up-regulated miR-244-5p expression and down-regulated DEGS1 expression in PASMCs under hypoxia. Furthermore, emodin-mediated effects on cell viability, migration, apoptosis and PI3K/Akt signaling activity of PASMCs under hypoxia were significantly attenuated by miR-244-5p knockdown.

Conclusions

Our results indicated that emodin suppressed cell viability, proliferation and migration, promoted cell apoptosis of PASMCs under hypoxia via modulating miR-244-5p-mediated DEGS1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. MiR-244-5p/DEGS1 axis was initially investigated in this current study, which is expected to further the understanding of the etiology of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
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Metadata
Title
Emodin inhibits viability, proliferation and promotes apoptosis of hypoxic human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via targeting miR-244-5p/DEGS1 axis
Authors
Li Yi
JunFang Liu
Ming Deng
Huihua Zuo
Mingyan Li
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pulmonary Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2466
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-021-01616-1

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