Novel insight into circular RNA HECTD1 in astrocyte activation via autophagy by targeting MIR142-TIPARP: implications for cerebral ischemic stroke

Bing Han; Yuan Zhang; Yanhong Zhang; Ying Bai; Xufeng Chen; Rongrong Huang; Fangfang Wu; Shuo Leng; Jie Chao; John H Zhang; Gang Hu; Honghong Yao

doi:10.1080/15548627.2018.1458173

Novel insight into circular RNA HECTD1 in astrocyte activation via autophagy by targeting MIR142-TIPARP: implications for cerebral ischemic stroke

Autophagy. 2018;14(7):1164-1184. doi: 10.1080/15548627.2018.1458173. Epub 2018 Jul 20.

Authors

Bing Han¹, Yuan Zhang¹, Yanhong Zhang¹, Ying Bai¹, Xufeng Chen², Rongrong Huang¹, Fangfang Wu¹, Shuo Leng³, Jie Chao⁴, John H Zhang⁵, Gang Hu⁶, Honghong Yao^{1

7}

Affiliations

¹ a Department of Pharmacology , School of Medicine, Southeast University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China.
² b Department of Emergency , Jiangsu Province Hospital and The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China.
³ c Department of Radiology , School of Medicine, Southeast University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China.
⁴ d Department of Physiology , School of Medicine, Southeast University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China.
⁵ e Department of Physiology and Pharmacology , School of Medicine, Loma Linda University , Loma Linda , California , USA.
⁶ f Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology , Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China.
⁷ g Institute of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Disease , Southeast University , Nanjing , Jiangsu , China.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are highly expressed in the central nervous system and are involved in the regulation of physiological and pathophysiological processes. However, the potential role of circRNAs in stroke remains largely unknown. Here, using a circRNA microarray, we showed that circular RNA Hectd1 (circHectd1) levels were significantly increased in ischemic brain tissues in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) mouse stroke models and further validated this finding in plasma samples from acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. Knockdown of circHectd1 expression significantly decreased infarct areas, attenuated neuronal deficits, and ameliorated astrocyte activation in tMCAO mice. Mechanistically, circHECTD1 functions as an endogenous MIR142 (microRNA 142) sponge to inhibit MIR142 activity, resulting in the inhibition of TIPARP (TCDD inducible poly[ADP-ribose] polymerase) expression with subsequent inhibition of astrocyte activation via macroautophagy/autophagy. Taken together, the results of our study indicate that circHECTD1 and its coupling mechanism are involved in cerebral ischemia, thus providing translational evidence that circHECTD1 can serve as a novel biomarker of and therapeutic target for stroke.

Abbreviations: 3-MA: 3-methyladenine; ACTB: actin beta; AIS: acute ischemic stroke; AS: primary mouse astrocytes; BECN1: beclin 1, autophagy related; BMI: body mass index; circHECTD1: circRNA HECTD1; circRNAs: circular RNAs; CBF: cerebral blood flow; Con: control; DAPI: 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; ECA: external carotid artery; FISH: fluorescence in situ hybridization; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; Gdna: genomic DNA; GFAP: glial fibrillary acidic protein; GO: gene ontology; HDL: high-density lipoprotein; IOD: integrated optical density; LDL: low-density lipoprotein; LPA: lipoprotein(a); MAP1LC3B: microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 beta; MIR142: microRNA 142; mNSS: modified neurological severity scores; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging; NIHSS: National Institute of Health Stoke Scale; OGD-R: oxygen glucose deprivation-reperfusion; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; PFA: paraformaldehyde; SQSTM1: sequestosome 1; TIPARP: TCDD inducible poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase; tMCAO: transient middle cerebral artery occlusion; TTC: 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride; UTR: untranslated region; WT: wild type.

Keywords: Astrocyte activation; MIR142; TIPARP; autophagy; circHECTD1; stroke; tMCAO.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Animals
Astrocytes / metabolism*
Autophagy*
Base Sequence
Brain Infarction / genetics
Brain Infarction / pathology
Brain Ischemia / complications
Brain Ischemia / genetics
Brain Ischemia / pathology*
Female
Humans
Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / pathology
Male
Mice, Inbred C57BL
MicroRNAs / genetics
MicroRNAs / metabolism*
Nucleoside Transport Proteins
Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / genetics
Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases / metabolism*
RNA / genetics
RNA / metabolism*
RNA, Circular
Stroke / complications
Stroke / genetics
Stroke / pathology*
Up-Regulation / genetics

Substances

MIRN142 microRNA, human
MicroRNAs
Mirn142 microRNA, mouse
Nucleoside Transport Proteins
RNA, Circular
TiPARP protein, human
RNA
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, mouse
Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerases

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [81673410]; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [81473190]; National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) [81603090]; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities and Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province [KYZZ16_0127]; Major State Basic Research Development (973 Program) [2013CB733800/2013CB733803].