MiR-32-5p influences high glucose-induced cardiac fibroblast proliferation and phenotypic alteration by inhibiting DUSP1

BACKGROUND: The current study aimed to investigate the effects of miR-32-5p on cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) that were induced with high levels of glucose; we also aimed to identify the potential mechanisms involved in the regulation of DUSP1 expression. METHODS: Human CFs were transfected with a miR-32-5p inhibitor or mimic and were treated with a normal concentration or a high concentration of glucose. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to identify cardiac fibroblasts by examining vimentin, fibronectin (FN) and α-actin expression in human CFs. qRT-PCR and western blot assays were performed to confirm the expression of miR-32-5p, DUSP1 and cardiac fibrosis relevant proteins. The proliferation of CFs was assessed by using MTT assay. An immunocytofluorescent staining assay was performed to determine the protein level of α-SMA and to investigate the degree of phenotypic changes in human CFs. The specific relationship between miR-32-5p and DUSP1 was investigated by a dual luciferase reporter assay. Cell apoptosis rates were measured with flow cytometry and the annexin V-FITC and propidine iodide (PI) staining method. RESULTS: A luciferase reporter assay indicated that miR-32-5p could directly target DUSP1. High glucose levels resulted in the overexpression of miR-32-5p, which downregulated DUSP1 expression. Both the upregulation of miR-32-5p and the downregulation of DUSP1 promoted cell apoptosis, proliferation and phenotypic changes in human CFs. CONCLUSIONS: All findings in this study provide further evidence for the positive effects of miR-32-5p on cell proliferation and the phenotypic changes in CFs by inhibiting DUSP1 expression, and reveal that miR-32-5p could serve as prognostic diagnostic target for cardiac fibrosis. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12867-019-0135-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.