BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to identify the association between miR-15a-5p and CDKN2B, and their roles in regulating the development of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We searched the miRNA database online (www.mirdb.org) and used a luciferase reporter assay system to study the regulatory relationship between miR-15a-5p and CDKN2B. We also conducted real-time PCR and Western blot analysis to study the mRNA and protein expression level of CDKN2B among different patient groups (participants with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and normal controls) or cells treated with scramble control, miR-15a-5p mimics, CDKN2B siRNA, and miR-15a-5p inhibitors.

RESULTS: We found that CDKN2B was a virtual target of miR-15a-5p with potential binding sites in the 3’UTR of CDKN2B (77–83 bp). We also showed that miR-15a-5p could bind to the CDKN2B 3’UTR, resulting in a significant decrease in luciferase activity compared with the scramble control. Furthermore, we found that the cells isolated from AAA participants showed an over-expression of miR-15a-5p compared to the normal controls, while the CDKN2B mRNA and protein expression level of the AAA group were much lower than the normal control group. Additionally, the expression of CDKN2B mRNA and the protein of the cells transfected with miR-15a-5p mimics and CDKN2B siRNA was downregulated, while the cells showed upregulated expression subsequent to transfection with miR-15a-5p inhibitors compared to the scramble control.

CONCLUSIONS: The data revealed a negative regulatory role of miR-15a-5p in the apoptosis of smooth muscle cells via targeting CDKN2B, and showed that miR-15a-5p could be a novel therapeutic target of AAA.

Keywords: Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal - metabolism, Apoptosis - genetics, Binding Sites, Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p15 - metabolism, RNA, Messenger - metabolism