LncRNA FENDRR Servers as a Possible Marker of Essential Hypertension and Regulates Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Dysfunction via miR-423-5p/Nox4 Axis

Abstract

Xiaojian Zhao,1 Chen Wang,2 Min Liu,1 Fansen Meng,1 Kai Liu1 1Department of Hypertension, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Kai Liu, Department of Hypertension, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 7 Weiwu Road, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450003, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax [phone], Email [email protected]: Essential hypertension (EH) is an intricate non-communicable infirmity and lncRNAs are validated as essential mediators in EH. The study aimed to propose the expression pattern of FENDRR and miR-423-5p, substantiate the potential mechanism of FENDRR/miR-423-5p/Nox4 axis in EH.Patients and Methods: The expression of FENDRR and miR-423-5p was evaluated by qRT-PCR and the clinical significance was explored by the ROC curve. Pearson correlation indicated the relationship between FENDRR and miR-423-5p. The function of FENDRR and miR-423-5p on HUVECs was clarified by CCK-8 assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry. Western blot was used to assess the relative protein expression of Nox4.Results: FENDRR was highly expressed and miR-423-5p was lowly expressed in EH patients and a negative correlation between them was determined. FENDRR might serve as a predictive diagnosis in differentiating EH patients. Knockdown of FENDRR or overexpression of miR-423-5p showed expansionary effects in cell proliferation, cell migration, and inhibiting cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, miR-423-5p was determined as a target of FENDRR and mediated the function of FENDRR on HUVECs. Moreover, Nox4 is a down-streaming target gene of miR-423-5p. The protein expression of Nox4 was regulated by the alternation of miR-423-5p expression.Conclusion: FENDRR played an energetic role in EH and contributed to HUVECs dysfunction by restricting cell proliferation, suppressing cell migration, and accelerating cell apoptosis by manipulating the miR-423-5p/Nox4 axis.Keywords: FENDRR/miR-423-5p/Nox4 axis, essential hypertension, diagnosis, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, proliferation, apoptosis

Keywords

• fendrr/mir-423-5p/nox4 axis
• essential hypertension
• diagnosis
• human umbilical vein endothelial cells
• proliferation
• apoptosis