LncRNA MALAT1 prevents the protective effects of miR-125b-5p against acute myocardial infarction through positive regulation of NLRC5

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), as the first manifestation of ischemic heart disease, is the most common cause of death in developed countries. A recent study showed that metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), a prognostic marker for lung cancer metastasis, could promote myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury by regulating the levels of microRNA (miR)-145. In order to elucidate the biological function of MALAT1 in the pathogenesis of AMI and to explore the mechanisms underlying its action, an AMI rat model was established by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Downregulation of MALAT1 by siRNA transfection attenuated heart damage in an AMI model rat. The mouse cardiomyocyte cell line HL-1 was used to show that downregulation of nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor C5 (NLRC5) and upregulation of miR-125b-5p were the results of MALAT1 silencing. TargetScan and a dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that NLRC5 is a direct target of miR-125b-5p. Overexpression of miR-125b-5p significantly reduced hypoxia/reperfusion-induced apoptosis of HL-1 cells, an effect that could be blocked by NLCR5 overexpression. Taken together, these results suggest that MALAT1 reduced the protective effect of miR-125b-5p on injured cells through upregulation of NLCR5. This study highlights the role of MALAT1 in the pathogenesis of AMI and may guide future genetic therapeutic strategies for AMI treatment.