Long noncoding RNA <i>NEAT1</i> (nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1) is critical for phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells.

ABSTRACT: In response to vascular injury, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) may switch from a contractile to a proliferative phenotype thereby contributing to neointima formation. Previous studies showed that the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) NEAT1 is critical for paraspeckle formation and tumorigenesis by promoting cell proliferation and migration. However, the role of NEAT1 in VSMC phenotypic modulation is unknown. Herein we showed that NEAT1 expression was induced in VSMCs during phenotypic switching in vivo and in vitro. Silencing NEAT1 in VSMCs resulted in enhanced expression of SM-specific genes while attenuating VSMC proliferation and migration. Conversely, overexpression of NEAT1 in VSMCs had opposite effects. These in vitro findings were further supported

SUBMITTER: Ahmed ASI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6140535 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature