Overexpression of miR-135b attenuates pathological cardiac hypertrophy by targeting CACNA1C

Abstract

Background: Cardiac hypertrophy is a serious factor underlying heart failure. Although a large number of pathogenic genes have been identified, the underlying molecular mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy are still poorly understood. MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs which regulate their target genes at the post-transcriptional level. L-type calcium channels play important role in hypertrophic signaling pathways, and CACNA1C is encoded by L-type calcium channels. Here, we hypothesize that the overexpression of miR-135b can attenuate hypertrophy by targeting CACNA1C.

Methods: We test the functional involvement of miR-135b in cardiac hypertrophy model. In order to evaluate the effect of miR-135b in cardiac hypertrophy, miR-135b mimic, miR-135b agomir and α-MHC-miR-135b transgenic mice were used for the overexpression of miR-135b. Luciferase reporter assays were used to testify the binding of miR-135b to the CACNA1C 3'UTR.

Results: Our results revealed that in a pathological cardiac hypertrophy model, the expression of miR-135b was clearly downregulated. Hypertrophic marker genes were upregulated after the knockdown of miR-135b in vitro, while the overexpression of miR-135b attenuated hypertrophy. These results suggested that miR-135b may weaken hypertrophic signals. We then explored the mechanism of miR-135b in hypertrophy and identified that CACNA1C was a target gene for miR-135b. The overexpression of miR-135b attenuated cardiac hypertrophy by targeting CACNA1C.

Conclusions: Our studies revealed that miR-135b is a critical regulator of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Our findings may provide a novel strategy for the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.

Keywords: CACNA1C; Cardiac hypertrophy; L-type Ca(2+) channels; microRNA-135b.