Background: Neuroinflammation is a common feature of many neurological diseases, and remains crucial for disease progression and prognosis. Activation of microglia and astrocytes can lead to neuroinflammation. However, little is known about the role of lncRNA xist and miR-122-5p in the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated neuroinflammation (SAN). This study aims to investigate the role of lncRNA xist and miR-122-5p in the pathogenesis of SAN.Methods: Levels of miR-122-5p and proinflammatory mediators were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with intracranial infection (ICI) by ELISA and qRT-PCR. miRNA expression in the periventricular white matter (PWM) in rats was analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. Levels of lncRNA xist, miR-122-5p and proinflammatory mediators in the PWM were measured using qRT-PCR and western blot. Bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the upstream and downstream of miR-122-5p. The interaction between miR-122-5p and its target protein was validated using luciferase reporter assay. BV2 and astrocytes were used to detect the expression of lncRNA xist, miR-122-5p.Results: The level of miR-122-5p was significantly decreased in the CSF of ICI patients, while the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly upregulated. Furthermore, it was found that the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α were negatively correlated with the level of miR-122-5p. A high-throughput sequencing analysis showed that miR-122-5p expression was downregulated with 1.5-fold changes in the PWM of CLP rats compared with sham group. Bioinformatics analysis found that lncRNA xist and PKCη were the upstream and downstream target genes of miR-122-5p, respectively. The identified lncRNA xist and PKCη were significantly increased in the PWM of CLP rats. Overexpression of miR-122-5p or knockdown of lncRNA xist could significantly downregulate the level of PKCη and proinflammatory mediators from activated microglia and astrocytes. Meanwhile, in vitro investigation showed that silencing lncRNA xist or PKCη or enhancing the expression of miR-122-5p could obviously inhibit the release of proinflammatory mediators in activated BV2 cells and astrocytes.Conclusion: LncRNA xist could regulate microglia and astrocytes activation in the PWM of CLP rats via miR-122-5p/PKCη axis, further mediating sepsis associated neuroinflammation.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and mechanism of miR‐122‐5p on hepatic injury induced by hyperthyroidism. Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: a normal thyroid function group (sham), a levothyroxine (LT4)–induced hyperthyroidism group (T4 sodium), and a hyperthyroidism group treated with a miR‐122‐5p inhibitor (T4 sodium + antagomir‐122‐5p). Liver tissue pathology, ferroptosis and inflammatory markers, and miR‐122‐5p expression were assessed. Finally, rat hepatocytes (BRL‐3A) were treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) to explore the role of the miR‐122‐5p/CCDC6 axis in hepatocyte injury. We found that miR‐122‐5p was expressed at low levels in liver tissues from hyperthyroid rats. Inhibition of miR‐122‐5p aggravated liver tissue injury. Additionally, in hyperthyroid rats, inflammatory factors, iron content, and markers of ferroptosis were upregulated by miR‐122‐5p inhibitors. Mechanistically, miR‐122‐5p was found to bind to CCDC6 and negatively regulate CCDC6 expression. Furthermore, miR‐122‐5p deletion induced hepatocyte injury by exacerbating the ferroptosis process and mitochondrial damage in CCL4‐treated hepatocytes, a process dependent on CCDC6 expression. The miR‐122‐5p/CCDC6 axis plays a protective role in hyperthyroidism‐induced liver injury and serves as a potential target for the clinical treatment of hyperthyroidism‐associated liver disease.
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in ischaemic stroke. This study aimed to investigate the role and potential mechanism of lncRNA Gm11974 in ischaemic stroke. Mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells were treated with oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD). The levels of Gm11974, microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p) and semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, Caspase-3 Assay Kit and flow Cytometry. The levels of oxidative stress indicators were measured by using commercial kits. The relationship between miR-122-5p and Gm11974 or SEMA3A was verified by dual-luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down assays. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in mice was used to mimic ischaemic stroke. Gm11974 and SEMA3A were up-regulated, while miR-122-5p was down-regulated in OGD-treated N2a cells and MCAO mice. Down-regulation of Gm11974 ameliorated OGD-mediated N2a cell damage by increasing cell viability and reducing cell apoptosis and oxidative stress. Gm11974 promoted OGD-induced injury in N2a cells via negatively regulating miR-122-5p. Also, miR-122-5p alleviated OGD-resulted N2a cell injury by targeting SEMA3A. Moreover, silencing of Gm11974 decreased infarct volume and neurological score in MCAO mice. Knockdown of Gm11974 attenuated neuronal injury in ischaemic stroke by regulating miR-122-5p/SEMA3A signaling pathway.