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(Circulation Research. 2008;102:e101.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Does the Effect of MicroRNAs in Vascular Neointimal Formation Depend on Cell Cycle Phase?

Pasquale Silvestri, Stefano Rigattieri, Paolo Loschiavo

Sandro Pertini Hospital, Rome, Italy, E-mail pasilvestri@hotmail.com

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

To the Editor:

In the June 8, 2007 issue of Circulation Research, Ji et al presented the results of their study in which they described the micro (mi)RNA expression signature in the vessel wall.¹ In addition, they studied the role of miRNA in vascular neointimal lesion formation. Among the miRNA dysregulated after balloon angioplasty of the rat carotid artery, the authors focused on miR-21, showing that antisense oligonucleotide mediated inhibition of miR-21 reduces neointimal formation after balloon angioplasty in vivo and exerts an antiproliferative and proapoptotic effect in vitro on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The study raises hopes for therapeutic targeting of miRNA in the treatment of diseases characterized by neointima formation, such as atherosclerosis, postangioplasty restenosis, and graft vasculopathy.

When the authors reported the results of miR-21 blockade with an antisense oligonucleotide in cultures of VSMCs, they observed that miR-21 knockdown and serum deprivation induced a disproportionate apoptosis, indicating a synergistic effect with a mechanism that was not clear. Another unexplained result was the small effect of miR-21 knockdown on the expression level of a candidate target: PTEN.

In their recent report, Vasudevan et al showed that serum deprivation with consequent arrest of the cell cycle may have profound effects on the mechanism of action of miRNA.² In conditions of cell cycle arrest, miRNA can enhance mRNA translation. This effect is mediated by the recruitment to mRNA of FXR1, a protein that stimulates translation, whereas, in presence of normal cell growth, the RNA-interfering silencing complex recruits to . . . [Full Text of this Article]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Cheng, X. Liu, J. Yang, and C. Zhang The Effects of Some MicroRNAs in Vascular Neointimal Formation May Depend on Cell Cycle Phase Circ. Res., May 9, 2008; 102(9): e102 - e102. [Full Text] [PDF]