lncRNA Cfast knockdown in cardiac fibroblasts

Cardiac fibrosis occurs in most cardiac diseases, which reduces cardiac muscle compliance, impairs both systolic and diastolic heart function and, ultimately, leads to heart failure. Using unbiased transcriptome profiling in a mouse model of myocardial infarction, we identified a cardiac-fibroblast enriched lncRNA (AK048087) named cardiac fibroblast-associated transcript (Cfast), which is significantly elevated after myocardial infarction. Here, we show that silencing Cfast expression by lentiviral shRNAs resulted in suppression of fibrosis-related gene expression and transdifferentiation of myofibroblasts into cardiac fibroblasts. We performed the RNA-seq profiling in both lentivirus Cfast knockdown and lentivirus scramble group in cardiac fibroblasts. Finally, the transcriptome analysis indicates that genes related to cell differentiation, cell migration, extracellular matrix organization downregulated in Cfast knockdown group. Overall design: Examination of mRNA profiles in cardiac fibroblast treated by lentivirus Cfast knockdown and scramble