miR-21 inhibits apoptosis of Schwann cells following peripheral nerve in-jury / 中国病理生理杂志

ABSTRACT

AIM:To explore the relationship and molecular mechanism between microRNA-21(miR-21) and Schwann cells ( SC) following peripheral nerve injury.METHODS: The mRNA expression of miR-21 and phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten ( PTEN) in animal model were detected by real-time PCR.The over-ex-pression of miR-21 and inhibition of miR-21 expression in the Schwann cells according to transfection of lentiviral vectors were performed, the nonspecific miRNA was used as a negative control ( NC) .The cell apoptosis was measured by flow cy-tometry.The mRNA expression of miR-21 and PTEN in the cells was detected by real-time PCR.The protein expression of PTEN and cleaved caspase-3 was determined by Western blot.RESULTS: The level of miR-21 was significantly higher and the mRNA level of PTEN was significantly lower in the model of nerve injury than those in control group.miR-21 over-expression decreased the number of apoptotic Schwann cells compared with NC-SC.The mRNA expression of PTEN was down-regulated by over-expression of miR-21.The protein expression of PTEN and cleaved caspase-3 was down-regulated by over-expression of miR-21 (P<0.05).CONCLUSION: miR-21 may play an important role in the peripheral nerve injury through inhibiting apoptosis of Schwann cells by down-regulating the expression of PTEN.