1.Effect of miR-137 on atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques in mice through targeting sex determining region Y box protein 4
Siliang HAN ; Yichao ZHANG ; Junmin XIE ; Zhe WANG ; Shaoqing SHEN ; Fanchang KONG
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(5):642-649
Objective To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of miR-137 on athero-sclerosis(AS)plaques in apolipoprotein E(ApoE)gene knockout(ApoE)mice.Methods Sixty ApoE-/-mice were fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish an AS model.Then they were assigned into AS group,negative control group,miR-137 group,Ad negative control group,and combination group,with 12 mice in each group;Another 12 wild-type C57BL/6 mice fed with chow diet were subjected as the Control group.Fully automated biochemical analyzer was applied to detect serum lipid levels,including total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),low-density lipo-protein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C).ELISA was con-ducted to detect the levels of serum inflammatory factors,including TNF-α,IL-4,IL-6,and IL-10.HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of mouse aortic tissue.Oil red O stai-ning was employed to observe the overall formation of aortic plaques.Immunofluorescence stai-ning was utilized to detect the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)and arginase-1(Arg-1)in the aortic tissue.Real-time qPCR was applied to detect the mRNA expression of miR-137 and sex determining region Y box protein 4(SOX4)in the aorta.Results The miR-137 group has significantly lower serum levels of TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-α and IL-6,and higher levels of HDL-C,IL-10 and IL-4 when compared with the AS group and negative control group(P<0.05).The combination treatment resulted in increased serum levels of TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-αand IL-6,while decreased levels of HDL-C,IL-10 and IL-4 in comparison with the Ad negative control group(P<0.05).Larger aortic plaque area,more severe overall aortic plaque injury and stronger iNOS fluorescence intensity were observed in the AS group than the control group(P<0.05).Treatment of miR-137 reversed above histological changes,resulting in smaller aortic plaque area,attenuated overall aortic plaque injury,decreased iNOS fluorescence intensity,and elevated Arg-1 fluorescence intensity when compared with the AS group and negative control group(P<0.05).Compared with the Ad negative control group,the aortic plaque area,overall aortic plaque injury and iNOS fluorescence intensity were increased,while the Arg-1 fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05).Double luciferase assay showed that the luciferase activity of SOX4-containing wild-type cells was significantly decreased after transfection of miR-137 mimics when compared with transfection of mimics negative control(0.37±0.05 vs 1.00±0.08,P<0.05).Conclusion Overexpression of miR-137 inhibits the activa-tion of rat sarcoma/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway probably by down-regulating SOX4 expression,and then suppress M1 macrophage polarization and promote M2 macrophage polariza-tion,reduces inflammatory response and the formation of AS plaques.
2.Effect of miR-137 on atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques in mice through targeting sex determining region Y box protein 4
Siliang HAN ; Yichao ZHANG ; Junmin XIE ; Zhe WANG ; Shaoqing SHEN ; Fanchang KONG
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(5):642-649
Objective To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of miR-137 on athero-sclerosis(AS)plaques in apolipoprotein E(ApoE)gene knockout(ApoE)mice.Methods Sixty ApoE-/-mice were fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish an AS model.Then they were assigned into AS group,negative control group,miR-137 group,Ad negative control group,and combination group,with 12 mice in each group;Another 12 wild-type C57BL/6 mice fed with chow diet were subjected as the Control group.Fully automated biochemical analyzer was applied to detect serum lipid levels,including total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),low-density lipo-protein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C).ELISA was con-ducted to detect the levels of serum inflammatory factors,including TNF-α,IL-4,IL-6,and IL-10.HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of mouse aortic tissue.Oil red O stai-ning was employed to observe the overall formation of aortic plaques.Immunofluorescence stai-ning was utilized to detect the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)and arginase-1(Arg-1)in the aortic tissue.Real-time qPCR was applied to detect the mRNA expression of miR-137 and sex determining region Y box protein 4(SOX4)in the aorta.Results The miR-137 group has significantly lower serum levels of TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-α and IL-6,and higher levels of HDL-C,IL-10 and IL-4 when compared with the AS group and negative control group(P<0.05).The combination treatment resulted in increased serum levels of TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-αand IL-6,while decreased levels of HDL-C,IL-10 and IL-4 in comparison with the Ad negative control group(P<0.05).Larger aortic plaque area,more severe overall aortic plaque injury and stronger iNOS fluorescence intensity were observed in the AS group than the control group(P<0.05).Treatment of miR-137 reversed above histological changes,resulting in smaller aortic plaque area,attenuated overall aortic plaque injury,decreased iNOS fluorescence intensity,and elevated Arg-1 fluorescence intensity when compared with the AS group and negative control group(P<0.05).Compared with the Ad negative control group,the aortic plaque area,overall aortic plaque injury and iNOS fluorescence intensity were increased,while the Arg-1 fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05).Double luciferase assay showed that the luciferase activity of SOX4-containing wild-type cells was significantly decreased after transfection of miR-137 mimics when compared with transfection of mimics negative control(0.37±0.05 vs 1.00±0.08,P<0.05).Conclusion Overexpression of miR-137 inhibits the activa-tion of rat sarcoma/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway probably by down-regulating SOX4 expression,and then suppress M1 macrophage polarization and promote M2 macrophage polariza-tion,reduces inflammatory response and the formation of AS plaques.
3.An investigation of life value and suicide attitude of college students in the earthquake-stricken area
Yan ZHANG ; Fanchang KONG ; Zhenzhen QUAN ; Fang XU
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2010;19(7):641-643
Objective To understand the life attitude of college students in earthquake-stricken area. Methods 166 college students were conducted by life value scale (LVS) and suicide attitude questionnaire (QSA). Results ①On the LVS, males( (1.85 ±0.57) , (1.73±0.55) ) got significantly higher scores than females ((1.66±0.43),(1.54±0.40)) on survival values-oriented and spiritual values-oriented, and lower scores on tool values-oriented ((2.59±0.46 vs (2.76±0.51) ) , there was significant difference on overcome values-oriented between different grades(F = 3.710, P = 0.013). On the QSA, males (3.01 ±0.51) got significantly lower scores than females (3.28 ±0.51) on the cognition of suicidal behavior difference (t=3.110, P=0.002). There were significant differences on attitude to relationship of suicides between different gender and areas (P<0.05) , and attitude to euthanasia between different gender, grades and subjects (P<0.05). ②Social valuesoriented can predict cognition of suicidal behavior, personal and tool values-oriented can predict attitude to relationship of suicides, the total of life value can predict cognition of suicidal behavior and attitude to relationship of suicides. Conclusion The life value can predict the suicide attitude of college students in earthquake-stricken area, thus the life education should be enhanced to improve their quality of life.

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