MiR-26a inhibits myocardial cell apoptosis in rats with acute myocardial infarction through GSK-3β pathway
Authors: S Lu
Y Lu
Journal: European review for medical and pharmacological sciences (2020)
Discipline: PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
Keywords: miR-26a; myocardial cell apoptosis; GSK-3β pathway; Sprague-Dawley rats; acute myocardial infarction
Affiliations: Department of Emergency Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, China. .

Abstract:  Objective: To study the influence of micro ribonucleic acid (miR)-26a on myocardial cell apoptosis in rats with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) through the glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3β) pathway. Materials and methods: A total of 36 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham group (n=12), model group (n=12), and miR-26a mimics group (n=12). Only the heart was exposed, and normal saline was intraperitoneally injected postoperatively in sham group, and the model of AMI was prepared in model group. Besides, after modeling, miR-26a mimics were injected into the left ventricle in miR-26a mimics group. At 48 h after operation, sampling was performed. Then, the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), as well as the protein expression of phosphorylated GSK-3β (p-GSK-3β) were detected via immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, respectively. Moreover, the expression level of miR-26a was measured via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and cell apoptosis was evaluated using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Results: Compared with those in sham group, the expression level of Bax was substantially raised, but that of Bcl-2 was notably lowered in model group and miR-26 mimics group (p&lt;0.05), and miR-26 mimics group had a markedly lower expression level of Bax and a remarkably higher expression level of Bcl-2 than model group (p&lt;0.05). According to Western blotting results, the protein expression level of p-GSK-3β in model and miR-26a mimics groups was considerably higher than that in sham group (p&lt;0.05), and miR-26a mimics group exhibited a notably higher protein expression level of p-GSK-3β than model group (p&lt;0.05). In comparison with that in sham group, the expression level of miR-26a rose markedly in both model group and miR-26a mimics group (p&lt;0.05), and its expression level in miR-26a mimics group was dramatically higher than that in model group (p&lt;0.05). Additionally, the TUNEL-positive cells were considerably increased in both model group and miR-26a mimics group in comparison with that in sham group (p&lt;0.05), and miR-26a mimics group had markedly fewer TUNEL-positive cells than model group (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: MiR-26a activates the GSK-3β signaling pathway to inhibit myocardial cell apoptosis after AMI. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 ![file] , 
 #1 Accentuating the contrast brings up peculiar blank background-free zones between the lanes of the GSK-3beta slice as well. ![file] , 
 Figure 6  Cell apoptosis detected via TUNEL staining . ![file] The Sham panel appears in work by other authors, identified as  Model . Figure 6 from [Lu Lu (2020)] :  Cell apoptosis rate detected by TUNEL (where Sham and Inhibitor panel appear to be the same). ![file] , 
 #1 *[below]* Fig 3  Protein expression detected via Western blotting again. Please compare with *[above]* Figure 4 from [Rong et al (2020)] ,  Expressions of related proteins detected via Western blotting . ![file] Two blobs are very similar after a 180-deg rotation. , 
 #3  Figure 6 from Lu Lu (2020) should read  Figure 6 from [Xie et al (2020)]  . --------------------------------------------------------------------- Figure 6 again:  Cell apoptosis detected via TUNEL staining . ![file] The Model panel appears in work by other authors. Figure 6 from [Chen et al (2019)] .  Cell apoptosis detected via TUNNEL . ![file] , 
 Upper left: Fig 3 from [Lu Lu (2020)] . Middle left: Fig 3 from [Chen et al (2019)] , and Lower left: Fig 3 from [Xie et al (2020)] . Upper right: Figure 3 from [Cai et al (2020)] . A versatile loading band. No authors in common. ![file] ,