Plasma exosomal miR-۱۴۲-۳p induced by acupuncture protects against heart injury in rats with myocardial infarction by targeting Cofilin ۲

Objective(s): The protective effects of acupuncture on myocardial injury have been identified in clinical trials. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive understanding of its fundamental mechanism. This research aimed to clarify the roles of plasma exosomes in the cardioprotection of acupuncture.Materials and Methods: Myocardial infarcted rats were divided into control group, acupuncture group, and acupuncture plus GW۴۸۶۹ group. The rats without the performance of a myocardial infarction were divided into a sham group. Acupuncture was performed at bilateral PC۶. Results: The results showed that the effects of acupuncture on increasing the thickness of the left ventricular infarct wall and inhibiting apoptosis of the damaged heart tissue were significantly reversed by GW۴۸۶۹. Among the five miRNAs of plasma exosomes increased by acupuncture, miR-۱۴۲-۳p was the unique miRNA up-regulated in myocardial tissue. Overexpressing miR-۱۴۲-۳p retarded oxidative damage of H۹c۲ by anti-apoptosis. miR-۱۴۲-۳p directly bound to and suppressed the expression of Cofilin ۲ (CFL۲). In vivo CFL۲ expression was down-regulated by acupuncture and up-regulated by GW۴۸۶۹.Conclusion: Our results suggest that plasma exosomes transfer cardio-protective signals of acupuncture to the injured heart and confer cardioprotective effects, and miR-۱۴۲-۳p emerges as a prominent exosomal miRNA in the inhibition of myocardial apoptosis by targeting CFL۲.

کلیدواژه ها:

Acupuncture ، Cofilin ۲ ، Exosomes ، microRNAs ، Myocardial infarction