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Atorvastatin Upregulates the Expression of miR-126 in Apolipoprotein E-knockout Mice with Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque

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Abstract

Carotid atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the carotid arterial wall, which is very important in terms of the occurrence of cerebral vascular accidents. Studies have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes are involved in the formation of atherosclerosis and that atorvastatin might reduce atherosclerotic plaques by regulating the expression of miRNAs. However, the related mechanism is not yet known. In this study, we first investigated the effects of atorvastatin on miR-126 and its target gene, i.e., vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in apolipoprotein E-knockout (ApoE−/−) mice with carotid atherosclerotic plaque in vivo. We compared the expressions of miR-126 and VCAM-1 between the control, atherosclerotic model and atorvastatin treatment groups of ApoE−/− mice using RT-PCR and Western blot. We found the miR-126 expression was significantly down-regulated, and the VCAM-1 expression was significantly up-regulated in the atherosclerotic model group, which accelerated the progression of atherosclerosis in the ApoE−/− mice. These results following atorvastatin treatment indicated that miR-126 expression was significantly up-regulated, VCAM-1 expression was significantly down-regulated and atherosclerotic lesions were reduced. The present results might explain the mechanism by which miR-126 is involved in the formation of atherosclerosis in vivo. Our study first indicated that atorvastatin might exert its anti-inflammatory effects in atherosclerosis by regulating the expressions of miR-126 and VCAM-1 in vivo.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (No. 81571112).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Xudong Pan, Aijun Ma, Ting Wang, Shaonan Yang & Xing Xiao

  2. Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hiser Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266033, People’s Republic of China

    Rongyao Hou

  3. Laboratory of Human Micromorphology, the Medical College of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266100, People’s Republic of China

    Mei Wu

  4. Department of Critical Care Medicine, the Affiliated Hiser Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266033, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoyan Zhu

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  1. Xudong Pan
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Correspondence to Aijun Ma.

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We declare that we have no financial or personal relationships with other people or organizations that could have inappropriately influenced our work. There are no professional or other personal interests of any nature or type in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the positions presented in this manuscript.

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Pan, X., Hou, R., Ma, A. et al. Atorvastatin Upregulates the Expression of miR-126 in Apolipoprotein E-knockout Mice with Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque. Cell Mol Neurobiol 37, 29–36 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10571-016-0331-x

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