Upregulation of miR-151-5p promotes the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells by targeting brain-derived neurotrophic factor in ulcerative colitis mice

ABSTRACT

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is the most prevalent form of chronic inflammatory bowel disease, the etiology of which is poorly understood. This study investigated the role of miR-151-5p on UC and explored the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a UC mouse model and cell model. A UC mouse model was engineered by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induction. Primary mouse intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) were isolated. Colitis mice were intraperitoneally injected with miR-151-5p antagomir and antagomir negative control, and weight loss, disease activity index, and colon length of mice were measured. Colon tissues of mice were histologically analyzed. A UC cell model was constructed by treating MODE-K cells with DSS. miR-151-5p expression in the cell model was modulated by transfection. The exogenous BDNF effect on the UC cell model and intestinal cell apoptosis, viability and proliferation was detected by flow cytometry, CCK-8 and EdU experiment. The expression of miR-151-5p and apoptosis-related proteins was assessed through q-PCR and western blotting. miR-151-5p was upregulated in the colon tissues and primary IECs of colitis mice. miR-151-5p directly inhibited the expression of BNDF. miR-151-5p upregulation promoted apoptosis in UC MODE-K cells. miR-151-5p upregulation repressed the viability of UC MODE-K cells. Exogenous BNDF treatment reversed the effect of miR-151-5p on UC MODE-K cells. miR-151-5p knockdown improved UC symptoms in mice, including alleviating weight loss, reducing disease activity index and improving colon length and damaged colon tissues. miR-151-5p contributed to intestinal epithelial cells apoptosis in colitis mice via inhibiting BNDF expression.

KEYWORDS:

• Ulcerative colitis
• miR-151-5p
• brain-derived neurotrophic factor
• apoptosis
• intestinal barrier integrity

Highlights

1. miR-151-5p was upregulated in colon tissues of colitis mice.

2. BNDF expression was directly inhibited by miR-151-5p.

3. miR-151-5p promoted intestinal epithelial cells’ apoptosis induced by DSS.

4. BNDF reversed miR-151-5p effect on UC intestinal epithelial cells’ apoptosis.

5. miR-151-5p knockdown improved UC symptoms in mice.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15384101.2022.2105905

Additional information

Funding

The present study was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province [LY17H030008] and Medical and Health Science and Technology Plan of Zhejiang Province [2020KY397 2020KY383].