Abstract:
Objective To explore the effect of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) on the transformation of human lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts.
Methods The cultured human lung fibroblasts 1 (HFL-1) were divided into an observation group and a control group according to whether they have the effect of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). Detected the expression levels of lncRNA MALAT1 in cells of the two groups. On this basis, four clusters were established: blank group, TGF-β1 group, transfection control group, and siMALAT1 group. Cells in the blank group did not receive any treatment; the TGF-β1 group was treated with TGF-β1 at 5 μg/L; the transfection control group was treated with siMALAT1 negative control (NC) based on the TGF-β1 group; siMALAT1 group was treated with siMALAT1 based on the TGF-β1 group. The lncRNA MALAT1, mRNA expression levels of collagen 1 (COL1) and α-smooth muscle activation protein (α-SMA), protein expression levels of COL1 and α-SMA, and cell proliferation were compared among them.
Results Compared with the control group, lncRNA MALAT1 relative expression in the observation group was higher (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the four groups on lncRNA MALAT1, mRNA expression levels of COL1 and α-SMA, and protein expression levels of COL1 and α-SMA (P<0.05). The relative expression of RNA and protein above in the transfection control group and TGF-β1 group was higher than that in the siMALAT1 group and blank group (P<0.05), but there were no significant between the TGF-β1 group and the transfection control group (P>0.05). The four groups showed significant differences in cell viability (P<0.05). The proliferation activity of the transfection control group and TGF-β1 group was higher than that of the siMALAT1 group and blank group (P<0.05), however, there were no significant between the TGF-β1 group and the transfection control group (P>0.05).
Conclusions LncRNA MALAT1 can promote the transformation of human lung fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, affecting the deposition of COL1, α-SMA in the lung tissue during the course of pulmonary fibrosis, and targeting lncRNA MALAT1 would contribute to the in-depth study of the process of pulmonary fibrosis.