RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Continuous activation and inflammation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) are essential for myocardial fibrosis. Gentianella acuta (Michx.) Hiitonen (G. acuta), that contains xanthones with cardioprotective properties, a typical healthful herb extensively used to treat cardiovascular diseases in Inner Mongolia region of China. However, it remains unknown whether or not G. acuta-derived miRNAs can shield CFs from activation by inflammatory stimulation. Therefore, we tend to investigated the role and core mechanism of G. acuta-derived Gen-miR-1 in regulating fibrosis and inflammation induced by TGF-ß1. METHODS: An animal model for myocardial infarction was built by subcutaneous injections of ISO and treated with Gen-miR-1 using intragastric administration. The protective effect of Gen-miR-1 on the heart was assessed by pathomorphological analysis of myocardial fibrosis. Using loss- and gain-of-function approaches, Gen-miR-1 regulation of HAX1/HMG20A/Smads axis was investigated by utilizing luciferase assay, Western blot, co-immunoprecipitation, etc. RESULTS: Screened and identified Gen-miR-1 from G. acuta. Gen-miR-1 can enter the mouse body, and markedly inhibit myocardial infarction induced by ISO in mice, as well as suppresses fibrosis in CFs and attenuates the inflammatory response elicited by TGF-ß1 in vitro. Gen-miR-1 downregulates HCLS1-related Protein X-1 (HAX1) expression through direct binding to the 3' UTR of HAX1, which in turn relieves HAX1 from promoting the expression of high-mobility group protein 20A (HMG20A), whereas HMG20A downregulation restrains the activation of TGF-ß1/Smads signaling pathways, subsequently resulting in a decrease of fibrosis and in facilitating CFs anti-inflammatory effects induced by Gen-miR-1 in the context of CFs activation induced by TGF-ß1. CONCLUSIONS: Our results first uncovered unique bioactive components in G. acuta and elucidated the molecular mechanism by which G. acuta-derived Gen-miR-1 suppress inflammation and myocardial fibrosis. These findings expand our understanding of G. acuta's therapeutic properties and bioactive constituents. Gen-miR-1-regulated HAX1/HMG20A/Smads axis will be one potential therapeutic target for cardiac remodeling.