Next Generation Sequencing Facilitates Quantitative Analysis of Pressure Type and control Transcriptomes

With the aim to reveal the function of microRNAs in Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) in response to portal hypertension, primary rat HSCs were exposed to pressure (10mmHg, 1 h) by using a pressure induced apparatus. Appling next-generation sequencing screened the pressurization induced miRNAs expression profile in HSCs. Among them miR-9a-5p was confirmed to be significantly increased after loading pressure in HSC by RT-PCR. It was found that inhibition of miR-9a-5p could significantly restrain HSCs proliferation and activation under pressure overload. Moreover, the results showed that the induction of miR-9a-5p upon pressure load might by increasing the phosphorylation of Akt but not FAK and Erk1/2. Luciferase reporter assay and western blot suggested that Sirt1 was a potential target gene of miR-9a-5p. Finally, we revealed that miR-9a-5p level was apparently higher in rat liver fibrotic model than in the normal control while Sirt1 level was decreased in fibrotic liver tissue. In conclusion, our results suggest that miR-9a-5p regulate HSCs proliferation through negative regulation of Sirt1 and suggest a potential biomarker for portal hypertension.