LncRNA H19 functions as an Aquaporin 1 competitive endogenous RNA to regulate microRNA-874 expression in LPS sepsis

Objective: Sepsis is a whole-body inflammation disease after severe trauma, burn injury, infection and major surgeries, accompanied by multiple organs failure. We sought to investigate the potential mechanism of Aquaporin 1 (AQP1), miRNA-874, and lncRNA H19 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sepsis and the anti-inflammatory responses related to sepsis myocardial dysfunction. Material and methods: Serum from peripheral blood samples of sepsis patients and in vivo mice model were collected for AQP1, H19, and miR-874 expression. In vitro model in cardiomyocytes was established using LPS. H19 and miR-874 expressions were interfered in LPS induced mice and cardiomyocytes to explore the association between them and its effect on anti-inflammatory responses. Results: H19 and AQP1 decreased and accompanied with elevated miR-874 expression in sepsis samples, in vivo mice model and in vitro cells. There was negative relationship between expression of H19 and miR-874, and a positive correlation between H19 and AQP1 expression. However, H19 overexpression transfection significantly reversed LPS induced dysregulation in expression of miR-874 and AQP1, secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines, and myocardial dysfunction in vivo and in vitro. Conclusion: We determined that H19 acted as AQP1 ceRNA in regulating miR-874. H19 acted as AQP1 ceRNA in regulating miR-874 and restoring LPS dysregulated inflammatory responses and myocardial dysfunction. H19 expression might be used as a potential therapeutic target for LPS induced sepsis and myocardial dysfunction.