Wei Zhang, Jinjing Zhao, Lin Deng, Nestor Ishimwe, Jessica Pauli, Wen Wu, Shengshuai Shan, Wolfgang Kempf, Margaret D Ballantyne, David Kim, Qing Lyu, Matthew Bennett, Julie Rodor, Adam W Turner, Yao Wei Lu, Ping Gao, Mihyun Choi, Ganesh Warthi, Ha Won Kim, Margarida M Barroso, William B Bryant, Clint L Miller, Neal L Weintraub, Lars Maegdefessel, Joseph M Miano, Andrew H Baker, Xiaochun Long
BACKGROUND: Activation of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) inflammation is vital to initiate vascular disease. The role of human-specific long noncoding RNAs in VSMC inflammation is poorly understood. METHODS: Bulk RNA sequencing in differentiated human VSMCs revealed a novel human-specific long noncoding RNA called inflammatory MKL1 (megakaryoblastic leukemia 1) interacting long noncoding RNA ( INKILN ). INKILN expression was assessed in multiple in vitro and ex vivo models of VSMC phenotypic modulation as well as human atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm...
July 4, 2023: Circulation