miRNA-1290 Promotes Aggressiveness in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Targeting IKK1

Background/Aims: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of non-coding RNAs that play diverse roles in pancreatic carcinogenesis. In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), NF-kB is constitutively activated in most patients and is linked to a mutation in KRAS via IkB kinase complex 1 (IKK1, also known as IKKa). We investigated the link between PDAC aggressiveness and miR-1290. Methods: We used miRCURYTM LNA Array and in situ hybridization to investigate candidate miRNAs and validated the findings with PCR. The malignant behavior of cell lines was assessed with Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, and Transwell assays. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to evaluate the interaction between miR-1290 and IKK1. Protein expression was observed by western blotting. Results: In this study, 36 miRNAs were dysregulated in high-grade pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and PDAC tissues compared with low-grade PanIN tissues. The area under the curve values of miR-1290 and miR-31-5p were 0.829 and 0.848, respectively (95% confidence interval, 0.722–0.936 and 0.749–0.948, both P < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between miR-1290 and histological differentiation (P = 0.029), pT stage (P = 0.006), and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.001). In addition, the in vitro work showed that miR-1290 promoted PDAC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration. Western blotting and the dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-1290 promoted cancer aggressiveness by directly targeting IKK1. The synergist effect of miR-1290 on the proliferation and metastasis of PDAC cells was attenuated and enhanced by IKK1 overexpression and knockdown, respectively. Consistent with the in vitro results, a subcutaneous tumor mouse model showed that miR-1290 functioned as a potent promoter of PDAC in vivo. Conclusion: MiR-1290 may act as an oncogene by directly targeting the 3’-untranslated region of IKK1, and the miR-1290/IKK1 pathway may prove to be a novel diagnostic and therapeutic target for PDAC.

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Modulation of FoxO1 Expression by miR-21 to Promote Growth of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000369686 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 184-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Weifeng Song ◽

Qi Li ◽

Lei Wang ◽

Liwei Wang

Keyword(s):

Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Ductal Adenocarcinoma ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Primary Tumors ◽

Protein Levels ◽

Infusion System

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal primary tumors in humans, with undetermined tumorigenesis. Although previous work by us, and by others, has clearly demonstrated an involvement of miR-21 in the growth of PDAC, the underlying mechanism has not been clarified. Methods: Here we analyzed the regulation of FoxO1 by miR-21 in vitro and in vivo, using luciferase-reporter assay and pancreatic intraductal infusion of antisense of miR-21, respectively. Results: We found that overexpression of miR-21 in PDAC cells decreased FoxO1 protein levels, whereas inhibition of miR-21 increased FoxO1 levels. Further, miR-21 bound to FoxO1 mRNA to prevent its translation through its 3'UTR. Moreover, administration of antisense of miR-21 through an intraductal infusion system significantly decreased miR-21 levels and increased FoxO1 levels in implanted PDAC, resulting in a significant decrease in PDAC growth. Conclusion: Taken together, our data highlight miR-21/FoxO1 axis as a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting the growth of PDAC.

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FENDRR Sponges miR-424-5p to Inhibit Cell Proliferation, Migration and Invasion in Colorectal Cancer

Technology in Cancer Research & Treatment ◽

10.1177/1533033820980102 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 19 ◽

pp. 153303382098010

Author(s):

Chuan Cheng ◽

Huixia Li ◽

Jiujian Zheng ◽

Jie Xu ◽

Peng Gao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cell Proliferation ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Migration And Invasion ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Differential Analysis ◽

Inhibit Cell Proliferation ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Objective: LncRNAs are non-coding RNAs exerting vital roles in the occurrence and development of various cancer types. This study tended to describe the expression pattern of FENDRR in colorectal cancer (CRC), and further investigate the role of FENDRR in CRC cell biological behaviors. Methods: Gene expression profile of colon cancer was accessed from the TCGA database, and then processed for differential analysis for identification of differentially expressed lncRNAs and miRNAs. Some in vitro experiments like qRT-PCR, MTT, colony formation assay, wound healing assay and Transwell assay were performed to assess the effect of FENDRR on cell biological behaviors. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to further validate the targeting relationship between FENDRR and miR-424-5p, and rescue experiments were carried out for determining the mechanism of FENDRR/miR-424-5p underlying the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells. Results: Bioinformatics analysis suggested that FENDRR was significantly down-regulated in CRC tissue, and low FENDRR was intimately correlated to poor prognosis. FENDRR overexpression could greatly inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Besides, there was a negative correlation between FENDRR and miR-424-5p. Dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-424-5p was a direct target of FENDRR. Rescue experiments discovered that FENDRR exerted its role in cell proliferation, migration and invasion in CRC via targeting miR-424-5p. Conclusion: FENDRR is poorly expressed in CRC tissue and cells, and low FENDRR is responsible for the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC by means of targeting miR-424-5p.

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Knockdown of LincRNA PADNA Promotes Bupivacaine-Induced Neurotoxicity by miR-194/FBXW7 Axis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-30999/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Fan Yuning ◽

Chen Liang ◽

Wang Tenghuan ◽

Nan Zhenhua ◽

Shengkai Gong

Keyword(s):

Functional Analysis ◽

Western Blot ◽

Cell Viability ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Drg Neurons ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Abstract The aim of the study was to explore the function and mechanism of lincRNA PADNA in bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity. Mouse DRG neurons were cultured in vitro and treated with bupivacaine to establish the neurotoxicity model. Caspase3 activity, cell viability, tunel assay were analyzed to assess the role of lincRNA PADNA. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the binding target of lincRNA PANDA. The expression of lincRNA PADNA was significantly increased with the increasing concentration of bupivacaine. Functional analysis revealed that knockdown of lincRNA PADNA accelerated the caspase3 activity and inhibited the cell viability. Western blot showed that knockdown of lincRNA PADNA promoted the occurrence of cleaved-caspase3. We also proved that lincRNA PADNA may bind with miR-194. Overexpression of miR-194 could rescued the function of lincRNA PADNA, suggesting that lincRNA PADNA may sponge miR-194. In addition, we provided new evidences that lincRNA PADNA/miR-194/FBXW7 axis play an important role in the neurotoxicity process. We performed comprehensive experiments to verify the function and mechanism of lincRNA PADNA in bupivacaine-induced neurotoxicity. Our study provided new evidences and clues for prevention of neurotoxicity.

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MicroRNA-219c-5p regulates bladder smooth muscle cell fibrosis by targeting FN1

10.21203/rs.3.rs-20313/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Bowen Liu ◽

Yafei Ding ◽

Peng Li ◽

Tao Wang ◽

Zhankui Jia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Cell Counting ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Bladder Smooth Muscle ◽

Muscle Fibrosis ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Abstract Background We found that the bladders of multiple sclerosis mice were significantly fibrotic. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fibronectin 1 (FN1) and bladder fibrosis, as well as the microRNAs involved in FN1 regulation. Methods The degree of bladder smooth muscle fibrosis was observed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting to determine FN1 expression in bladders with different grades of fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR-199a-3p, miR-219c-5p and miR-3572-3p could inhibit FN1 synthesis. Therefore, miR-199a-3p, miR-219c-5p and miR-3572-3p were overexpressed or knocked down in bladder smooth muscle cells (BSMCs), and the respective transfection and FN1 knockdown efficiencies were detected by RT-qPCR. Only miR-219c-5p overexpression and knockdown produced the expected results. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the targeting relationship between miR-219c-5p and FN1. Flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) experiments confirmed that miR-219c-5p reduced FN1 expression and affected the biological activity of smooth muscle cells. Results With increasing bladder fibrosis, FN1 expression increased, while miR-199a-3p, miR-219c-5p, and miR-3572-3p expression levels decreased. The RT-qPCR results after transfection showed that only miR-219c-5p could regulate FN1. Indeed, the dual luciferase reporter assay results indicated that miR-219c-5p targeted FN1 directly. CCK8 and cell cycle assays showed that miR-219c-5p overexpression inhibited BSMC proliferation, while miR-219c-5p knockdown promoted BSMC proliferation. An apoptosis assay showed that miR-219c-5p overexpression promoted apoptosis, while miR-219c-5p knockdown inhibited BSMC apoptosis. Conclusions Our findings indicate that FN1 upregulation and miR-219c-5p downregulation play an important role in the development of bladder fibrosis, and miR-219c-5p participates in the fibrosis of BSMCs by regulating FN1 expression. Thus, a novel antifibrotic function of miR-219c-5p is proposed, which may represent a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of bladder fibrosis.

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Brucine Inhibits Proliferation of U87 Glioblastoma Cells by Targeting the G-quadruplexes in the c-Myb Promoter

10.21203/rs.3.rs-64115/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Qiaochu Liu ◽

Di Huo ◽

Qunhui Wang ◽

Chuanqi Lv ◽

Ziqiang Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Cycle ◽

Promoter Region ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Tumor Xenograft ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Ionization Mass ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

U87 Cells ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Abstract Background: The proto-oncogene c-Myb plays an important role in the proliferation of cells and its upregulation affects the development of glioblastomas. G-quadruplexes are secondary structures of DNA or RNA that usually form in the promoter region of oncogenes, including c-Myb, and regulate the expression of these genes. The traditional Chinese medicine brucine is a ligand of G-quadruplexes located in the promoter region of c-Myb. In this study, the U87 cell line was used both in vitro and in vivo to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of action of brucine. Methods: MTT assay and flow cytometry were used to determine the effect of brucine on the cell cycle, viability, and apoptosis of U87 cells. The effects of brucine on transcription and expression of c-Myb were determined through RT-PCR and western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry were used to investigate whether brucine acts directly and binds G-quadruplexes in the promoter region of c-Myb, respectively. Results: The results showed that brucine suppressed the growth of U87 cells in vitro by arresting the cell cycle and reducing the expression of c-Myb. Through the dual luciferase reporter assay, brucine was found to inhibit the expression of c-Myb by targeting the guanine-rich sequence that forms G-quadruplexes in the c-Myb promoter. Moreover, U87 tumors were suppressed by brucine in a tumor xenograft nude mice model. Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that brucine is a potentially effective medicine for treatment of glioblastomas.

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Overexpression of miR-221-3p effecting cell proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation by targeting Toll-like receptors 4 in propofol-induced rat astrocytes

Archives of Medical Science ◽

10.5114/aoms/140396 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shuang Qi ◽

Zinan Li ◽

Shanshan Yu

Keyword(s):

Neuronal Cell ◽

Cell Number ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Cell Counting ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Mrna Levels ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Toll Like Receptors ◽

Rat Astrocytes ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

IntroductionGrowing evidence indicated that propofol has neurotoxic effects on the brains of developing rodents, leading to neuronal cell death, neurodegeneration, and brain injury.Material and methodsEctopic miR-221-3p was transfected into rat astrocytes, and Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate cell growth and apoptosis. The mRNA levels of Toll-like receptors 4 (TLR4), nuclear factor kappa B, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), caspase-3, caspase-12, STAT3, and GRP78 were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The proteins of TLR4 and MyD88 were determined using Western blotting. The association between miR-221-3p and TLR4 was measured using Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay (Promega Corporation, Wisconsin, USA). Then, siTLR4 was transfected with 293T cells to study the role of TLR4 in astrocytes with propofol treatment.ResultsThe miR-221-3p expression in rat astrocytes was markedly suppressed by propofol treatment. The miR-221-3p mimics transfection in propofol-treated astrocytes effectively reduced the suppressive effect of propofol on astrocyte growth, repressed the propofol-induced apoptosis in rat astrocytes, and decreased the cell number during the G2–M phase. The expression of MyD88 and TLR4 was induced by propofol, whereas the transfection of miR-221-3p mimics dramatically reduced these genes expression at the mRNA and protein expression. After that, TLR4 was found to be target of miR-221-3p using Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay. Furthermore, knockdown of TLR4 could suppress the apoptosis rate in propofol-treated astrocytes.ConclusionsThis study revealed that miR-221-3p might prevent astrocytes from propofol-induced damage by targeting TLR4.

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MicroRNA-330-3p Expression Indicates Good Prognosis and Suppresses Cell Proliferation by Targeting Bmi-1 in Osteosarcoma

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000488612 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 442-450 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Zhenxin Zheng ◽

Feng Bao ◽

Xuhong Chen ◽

Hongbin Huang ◽

Xiangfeng Zhang

Keyword(s):

Cell Proliferation ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Colorimetric Assay ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Cell Counting ◽

Biological Behavior ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Osteosarcoma Cell ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Background/Aims: Growing evidence has shown that miR-330-3p is closely related to the biological behavior of cancer, including proliferation, metastasis, and prognosis. However, there have been no reports on miR-330-3p expression and function in osteosarcoma. Methods: Expression of miR-330-3p in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines was examined by quantitative PCR. Effects of miR-330-3p on osteosarcoma cell proliferation were investigated in vitro with the Cell Counting Kit-8 colorimetric assay. Targets of miR-330-3p were identified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: The results showed that expression of miR-330 decreased in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines. Prognosis of patients with high miR-330-3p expression was much better than that of those with low expression (P=0.001), and multivariate analysis suggested that miR-330-3p is an independent prognostic factor for osteosarcoma. In addition, miR-330-3p overexpression significantly inhibited the growth of MG-63 and U2OS osteosarcoma cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that Bmi-1 was a direct target gene of miR-330-3p, and in a recovery experiment, miR-330-3p suppressed osteosarcoma cell proliferation by directly targeting Bmi-1. Conclusion: Our results suggest that miR-330-3p acts as a tumor suppressor by regulating Bmi-1 expression in osteosarcoma. Thus, miR-330-3p may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

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CCL2 is Upregulated by Decreased miR-122 Expression in Iron-Overload-Induced Hepatic Inflammation

Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry ◽

10.1159/000485355 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 44 (3) ◽

pp. 870-883 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Yuxiao Tang ◽

Wentao Jia ◽

Xiaowen Niu ◽

Lusha Wu ◽

Hui Shen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin E ◽

Iron Overload ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Hepatic Inflammation ◽

Ccl2 Expression ◽

Ccl2 Mrna ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Background/Aims: Iron overload (IO) is accompanied by hepatic inflammation. The chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) mediates inflammation, and its overexpression is associated with IO. However, whether IO results in CCL2 overexpression in the liver and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Methods: We subjected mice to IO by administering intraperitoneal injections of dextran-iron or by feeding mice a 3% dextran-iron diet to observe the effects of IO on miR-122/CCL2 expression through real-time qPCR and Western blot analysis. We also used indicators, including the expression of the inflammatory cytokine, the inflammation score based on H&E staining and the serum content of ALT and AST to evaluate the effects of IO on hepatic inflammation. Meanwhile, we observed the effects of vitamin E on IO-induced hepatic inflammation. In cells, we used 100 µΜ FeSO4 or 30 µΜ Holo-Tf to produce IO and observed the roles of miR-122 in regulating CCL2 expression by using miR-122 mimics or inhibitors to overexpress or inhibit miR-122. Then, we used a dual-luciferase reporter assay to prove that miR-122 regulates CCL2 expression through direct binding to its complementary sequence in the CCL2 mRNA 3’UTR. Results: IO induces the downregulation of miR-122 and the upregulation of CCL2, as well as inflammatory responses both in vitro and in vivo. Although IO-induced oxidative stress is eliminated by the antioxidant vitamin E, IO-induced hepatic inflammation still exists, which probably can be explained by the fact that vitamin E has no effects on the miR-122/CCL2 pathway. In in vitro experiments, the overexpression and inhibition of miR-122 significantly reduced and increased CCL2 expression, respectively. The dual-luciferase reporter assay indicates that miR-122 binds CCL2 mRNA 3’UTR. Conclusion: We propose the roles of miR-122/CCL2 in IO-induced hepatic inflammation. Our studies should provide a new clue for developing clinical strategies for patients with IO.

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MicroRNA-219c-5p Regulates Bladder Fibrosis by Targeting FN1

10.21203/rs.3.rs-42067/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Bowen Liu ◽

Yafei Ding ◽

Peng Li ◽

Siyuan He ◽

Tao Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Smooth Muscle Cells ◽

Muscle Cells ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Cell Counting ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Bladder Smooth Muscle ◽

Muscle Fibrosis ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Abstract BackgroundWe found that the bladders of multiple sclerosis mice were significantly fibrotic. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between fibronectin 1 (FN1) and bladder fibrosis, as well as the microRNAs involved in FN1 regulation. Methods The degree of bladder smooth muscle fibrosis was observed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, we used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting to determine FN1 expression in bladders with different grades of fibrosis. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that miR-199a-3p, miR-219c-5p and miR-3572-3p could inhibit FN1 synthesis. Therefore, miR-199a-3p, miR-219c-5p and miR-3572-3p were overexpressed or knocked down in bladder smooth muscle cells (BSMCs), and the respective transfection and FN1 knockdown efficiencies were detected by RT-qPCR. Only miR-219c-5p overexpression and knockdown produced the expected results. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to determine the targeting relationship between miR-219c-5p and FN1. Flow cytometry and Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK8) experiments confirmed that miR-219c-5p reduced FN1 expression and affected the biological activity of smooth muscle cells. Agomir and anagomir of miR-219c-5p were transfected in vivo to observe the change of bladder fibrosis in mice.ResultsWith increasing bladder fibrosis, FN1 expression increased, while miR-199a-3p, miR-219c-5p, and miR-3572-3p expression levels decreased. The RT-qPCR results after transfection showed that only miR-219c-5p could regulate FN1. Indeed, the dual luciferase reporter assay results indicated that miR-219c-5p targeted FN1 directly. CCK8 and cell cycle assays showed that miR-219c-5p overexpression inhibited BSMC proliferation, while miR-219c-5p knockdown promoted BSMC proliferation. An apoptosis assay showed that miR-219c-5p overexpression promoted apoptosis, while miR-219c-5p knockdown inhibited BSMC apoptosis. The agomir and anagomir transfected with miR-219c-5p in vivo found that the bladder fibrosis of the mice in the agomir group was reduced, and the anagomir group was worse.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that FN1 up-regulation and miR-219c-5p down-regulation play an important role in the development of bladder fibrosis, and miR-219c-5p participates in bladder fibrosis by regulating FN1 expression. Thus, a novel antifibrotic function of miR-219c-5p is proposed, which may represent a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of bladder fibrosis.

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miR-205 Suppresses Pulmonary Fibrosis by Targeting GATA3 Through Inhibition of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology ◽

10.2174/1389201021666191210115614 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 720-726 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bingke Sun ◽

Shumin Xu ◽

Yanli Yan ◽

Yusheng Li ◽

Hongqiang Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Fibrosis ◽

Collagen I ◽

Luciferase Reporter Assay ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Reporter Assay ◽

Sd Rats ◽

Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

Objective: To investigate the role of miR-205 and GATA3 in Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF). Methods: Bleomycin (BLM) was used to induce PF in SD rats and in vitro PF model was established by using TGFβ1-induced RLE-6TN cells. miR-205 mimics were used for the overexpression of miR- 205. The expression of miR-205, GATA3, α-SMA, Collagen I, CHOP and GRP78 were measured using RT-qPCR or western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm binding between GATA3 3’-UTR and miR-205. Results: The expression of miR-205 was significantly down-regulated, while the expression of GATA3 was remarkably up-regulated in the model rats. GATA3 levels were remarkably decreased when miR-205 was overexpressed. When miR-205 was overexpressed, the lung injury by BLM-induced fibrosis was improved. The expression of α-SMA, Collagen I, as well as GRP78 and CHOP, was significantly up-regulated in both in vivo and in vitro PF models, and overexpression of miR-205 remarkably reversed the effects. Dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-205 directly targeted and negatively regulated GATA3. Conclusion: miR-205 improved pulmonary fibrosis through inhibiting ER-stress by targeting GATA3.

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