Atherosclerosis and vascular injury are leading causes of cardiovascular disease worldwide
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plays a key role in these diseases by inducing inflammation and oxidative stress
Endothelial cells can repair blood vessels damaged by LDL
But how endothelial cells mature and take on this task is unclear
In a recent study, researchers examined the maturation and antioxidative activity of endothelial cells
Molecular biology techniques revealed that the differentiation of endothelial cells was regulated by a microRNA molecule called miR-544
miR-544 inhibited the expression of genes involved in maintaining stem cell pluripotency
Promoting endothelial cell maturation and vascular formation
Transplanting endothelial cells expressing miR-544 also improved the outcome of oxidative stress injury in mice
Although these studies must be further evaluated in humans
The results suggest that targeting miR-544 may help with regeneration and repair of blood vessels after vascular injury
Improving treatment outcomes for those suffering from vascular diseases