MiR-34a-3p suppresses pulmonary vascular proliferation in acute pulmonary embolism rat by targeting DUSP1.

BACKGROUND Acute pulmonary embolism (APE) is a prevalent reason of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have underscored the positive effects of miRNAs on many diseases. The present study aimed to identify the critical miRNA with differential expressions and explore its role in APE. METHODS The critical miRNA with its target gene was screened by bioinformatics analysis. Their binding relationship was analyzed by Targetscan, dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays. A rat model of APE was established by self-blood coagulum. Human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) were exposed to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-BB) for excessive proliferation, and transfected with miR-34a-3p mimic. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) of rat was measured, and the pulmonary tissues were used for the pathological observation by Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Cell viability and proliferation were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and EdU assays. The expressions of miR-34a-3p with its target genes (including DUSP1), NOR-1 and PCNA were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) or/and western blot. RESULTS MiR-34a-3p expression was downregulated in APE patients, which attenuated the increment of mPAP and thickening of the pulmonary arterial walls in APE rats, accompanied with regulation of NOR-1 and PCNA levels. MiR-34a-3p suppressed DUSP1 expression by directly binding to its 3'-UTR, and attenuated cell viability, proliferation, and the expressions of NOR-1 and PCNA in PDGF-BB-induced PASMCs by inhibiting DUSP1 expression. CONCLUSION Upregulated miR-34a-3p negatively regulates DUSP1 expression to inhibit PASMC proliferation, which, thus, may act on APE treatment by negatively regulating pulmonary vascular proliferation.