AUTHOR=Rong Zhihua , Li Fengshi , Zhang Rui , Niu Shuai , Di Xiao , Ni Leng , Liu Changwei 

TITLE=Inhibition of tiRNA-Gly-GCC ameliorates neointimal formation via CBX3-mediated VSMCs phenotypic switching

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2023.1030635

DOI=10.3389/fcvm.2023.1030635

ISSN=2297-055X

ABSTRACT=tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are a new class of non-coding RNAs involved in a variety of pathological processes, but their biological functions and mechanisms in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) phenotype transition and vascular intimal hyperplasia are unclear. tiRNA-Gly-GCC was upregulated in synthetic HASMCs, atherosclerotic arteries, plasma and the balloon injured carotid artery of rats. Functionally, the inhibition of tiRNA-Gly-GCC repressed HASMCs proliferation, migration, and reversed dedifferentiation, whereas the overexpression of tiRNA-Gly-GCC had contrary effects. Mechanistically, tiRNA-Gly-GCC performed these functions on HASMCs via downregulating the expression of CBX3. Finally, the inhibition of tiRNA-Gly-GCC could ameliorate neointimal formation after vascular injury in vivo. Together, tiRNA-Gly-GCC is a mediator of HASMCs phenotypic switching by targeting CBX3 and inhibition of tiRNA-Gly-GCC suppresses neointimal formation.