LncRNA kcnq1ot1 promotes lipid accumulation and accelerates atherosclerosis via functioning as a ceRNA through the miR-452-3p/HDAC3/ABCA1 axis

• Published in: Cell death & disease Vol. 11; no. 12; p. 1043
• Main Authors: Yu, Xiao-Hua, Deng, Wen-Yi, Chen, Jiao-Jiao, Xu, Xiao-Dan, Liu, Xian-Xia, Chen, Lei, Shi, Meng-Wen, Liu, Qi-Xian, Tao, Min, Ren, Kun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Springer Nature B.V 09.12.2020; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: ABCA1 protein; Animals; Aorta; Apolipoprotein E; Apolipoproteins E - deficiency; Apolipoproteins E - metabolism; Arteriosclerosis; Atherogenesis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - genetics; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 - genetics; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter 1 - metabolism; ATP-binding protein; Base Sequence; Biological Transport; Cardiovascular diseases; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Coronary vessels; Down-Regulation - genetics; High density lipoprotein; Histone Deacetylases - metabolism; Humans; KCNQ1 protein; KCNQ1OT1 protein; Lipid Metabolism - genetics; Lipids; Macrophages; Macrophages, Peritoneal - metabolism; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; MicroRNAs - genetics; MicroRNAs - metabolism; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - blood; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - genetics; Plaque, Atherosclerotic - pathology; Potassium channels (voltage-gated); RNA, Long Noncoding - genetics; RNA, Long Noncoding - metabolism; Signal Transduction; THP-1 Cells; Transcription
• ISSN: 2041-4889; 2041-4889
• DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03263-6

Kcnq1 overlapping transcript 1 (kcnq1ot1), an imprinted antisense lncRNA in the kcnq1 locus, acts as a potential contributor to cardiovascular disease, but its role in atherosclerosis remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of kcnq1ot1 on atherogenesis and the underlying mechanism. Our results showed that kcnq1ot1 expression was significantly increased in mouse aorta with atherosclerosis and lipid-loaded macrophages. Lentivirus-mediated kcnq1ot1 overexpression markedly increased atherosclerotic plaque area and decreased plasma HDL-C levels and RCT efficiency in apoE mice fed a Western diet. Upregulation of kcnq1ot1 also reduced the expression of miR-452-3p and ABCA1 but increased HDAC3 levels in mouse aorta and THP-1 macrophages. Accordingly, kcnq1ot1 overexpression inhibited cholesterol efflux and promoted lipid accumulation in THP-1 macrophages. In contrast, kcnq1ot1 knockdown protected against atherosclerosis in apoE mice and suppressed lipid accumulation in THP-1 macrophages. Mechanistically, kcnq1ot1 enhanced HDAC3 expression by competitively binding to miR-452-3p, thereby inhibiting ABCA1 expression and subsequent cholesterol efflux. Taken together, these findings suggest that kcnq1ot1 promotes macrophage lipid accumulation and accelerates the development of atherosclerosis through the miR-452-3p/HDAC3/ABCA1 pathway.