miRNA-21 plays an important role in necrotizing enterocolitis

Introduction: To investigate the role and mechanism of miRNA-21 in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Material and methods: Collecting 30 pairs of newborn and NEC children and measuring the miRNA-21 expression in the serum of 30 pairs. Thirty neonatal Wistar rats were randomized to 3 groups: NC, Model and miRNA groups. The rats of model and miRNA groups were based on NEC model groups, after the fabricated NEC model of neonatal rats. The Model group was treated with normal saline and the miRNA group was injected with miRNA-21 from the abdomen. On the 4th day, all the rats were executed. The intestinal tissue located at the boundary of the ileum and cecum was sampled for histology and cell apoptosis. The relative protein (PTEN, PI3K, AKT and GSK-3 beta) expression levels of difference groups were evaluated by WB assay. Results:In the clinical data, the miRNA-21 gene expression of NEC children was significantly up-regulation compared with that of normal newborns (p < 0.05). In the rat experiments, compared with the NC group, the pathology and cell apoptosis of the Model group showed significant deterioration (p < 0.05) and relative protein (PTEN, p-PI3K, p-AKT and p-GSK-3 beta) expression levels were significantly different (p < 0.05, respectively). However, the pathology and cell apoptosis of colonic tissue were significantly improved (p < 0.05), the PTEN and p-GSK-3 beta protein expression levels were significantly suppressed (p < 0.05) and p-PI3K and p-AKT protein expression levels were significantly increased (p < 0.05, respectively) with miRNA-21 over-expression compared with the Model group. Conclusions:miRNA might be a biological marker and therapeutic target in NEC diagnosis and treatment.

Automated summary

This study investigates the role and mechanism of miRNA-21 in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Clinical data shows that the expression of miRNA-21 gene is significantly upregulated in NEC children. In rat experiments, overexpression of miRNA-21 improves the pathology and cell apoptosis in colonic tissue and significantly affects the expression levels of related proteins. miRNA-21 may serve as a biological marker and therapeutic target in NEC diagnosis and treatment.