Analysis of differential expression of miR-223 in platelets of elderly CHD patients before and after the autologous stem cell transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the differential expression of miR-223 in the platelets of elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) before and after autologous stem cell transplantation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, 26 elderly CHD patients were enrolled for treatment from February 2014 to August 2015. Elbow venous blood was collected before and after autologous stem cell transplantation, respectively. Phosphorylation levels of vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) of platelets were assayed before and after the treatment through the flow cytometer. The VASP and Ago-2 protein expression were detected by using ELISA and Western blot, respectively.

RESULTS: The differential expression of miR-223, VASP and Ago-2 in CHD patients before and after treatment were detected using qRT-PCR. The platelet aggregation rate in the blood of patients was measured before and after the treatment by a platelet aggregation test. Compared to the levels before the treatment, the results of flow cytometry revealed that the phosphorylation levels of VASP in platelet of CHD patients who received the autologous stem cell transplantation was significantly increased (p<0.05). Also, ELISA and Western blot results showed that the protein expression of Ago-2 in elderly patients that received the treatment was significantly increased at (2.36±0.17) µg/L. However, there was no statistically significant difference in the comparison of VASP protein expression before and after treatment (p<0.05). The results of qRT-PCR showed that the expressions of Ago-2 and miR-223 in elderly CHD patients were significantly increased after autologous stem cell transplantation compared to those before the treatment with statistically significant differences (p<0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences identified in the comparison of the mRNA expression of the VASP gene before and after the treatment (p>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, the miR-223 expression of platelets was significantly decreased after elderly CHD patients received autologous stem cell transplantation. Moreover, it leads to a decrease in protein expression and phosphorylation levels of VASP in order to reduce the occurrence of platelet aggregation.