Mice VSMCs: Control vs. TNF-α cultured

Transcriptional profiling of mouse VSMCs comparing control with VSMCs cultured with TNF-α Apoptosis of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is a process that regulates vessel remodeling in various cardiovascular diseases. The specific mechanisms that control VSMC apoptosis remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate whether microRNA-494 (miR-494) is involved in regulating VSMC apoptosis and its underlying mechanisms. Cell death ELISA and terminal deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assays were used to detect apoptosis of murine VSMCs following stimulation with tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α). The results indicated that TNF-α-upregulated VSMC apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Microarray analysis was used to evaluate the expression profile of microRNAs following TNF-α-stimulation in murine VSMCs. The expression of miR-494 was downregulated, whereas B-cell lymphoma 2-like 11 (BCL2L11) protein expression levels were upregulated in VSMCs following treatment with TNF- . Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that BCL2L11 was a direct target of miR-494. Transfection with miR-494 mimics decreased VSMC apoptosis and downregulated BCL2L11 protein levels. Conversely, transfection with miR-494 inhibitors increased cell apoptosis and upregulated BCL2L11 protein levels, suggesting that miR-494 may function as an essential regulator of BCL2L11. The increase in apoptosis caused by miR-494 inhibitors was abolished in cells co-transfected with BCL2L11-targeting small interfering RNA. The findings of the present study revealed that miR-494 inhibited TNF-α-induced VSMC apoptosis by downregulating the expression of BCL2L11. Two-condition experiment, Control vs.TNF-α cultured VSMCs . Biological replicates: 3 control, 3 TNF-α cultured VSMCs, independently grown and harvested.