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Qu et al. Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2018;5:10 Neuroimmunology and
DOI: 10.20517/2347-8659.2018.01 Neuroinflammation

Review Open Access

MicroRNA-126 is a prospective target for vascular
disease

Mei-Jie Qu , Jia-Ji Pan , Xiao-Jing Shi , Zhi-Jun Zhang , Yao-Hui Tang , Guo-Yuan Yang 1,2
2
2
2
1,2
2
1 Department of Neurology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
2 Neuroscience and Neuroengineering Research Centre, Med-X Research Institute and School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao
Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China.
Correspondence to: Dr. Guo-Yuan Yang, Neuroscience and Neuroengineering Research Center, Med-X Research Institute and School
of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China. E-mail: gyyang@sjtu.edu.cn
How to cite this article: Qu MJ, Pan JJ, Shi XJ, Zhang ZJ, Tang YH, Yang GY. MicroRNA-126 is a prospective target for vascular
disease. Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation 2018;5:10. http://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2347-8659.2018.01

Received: 3 Jan 2018 Frist Decision: 26 Feb 2018 Revised: 26 Mar 2018 Accepted: 26 Mar 2018 Published: 9 Apr 2018
Science Editor: Athanassios P. Kyritsis Copy Editor: Jun-Yao Li Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
MicroRNA-126 was involved in angiogenesis during physiological and pathological process. It was mainly expressed in
endothelial cells, and defined as a pivotal biological molecule associated with vascular disease. Increased microRNA-126
in endothelial cells promotes angiogenesis in ischemic stroke, repairs impaired endothelial cells in atherosclerosis, and
attenuates vascular dysfunction in diabetics. By contrast, microRNA-126 transferred from endothelial cell to smooth
muscle cells could lead to proliferation that induced intimal hyperplasia. Additionally, microRNA-126 could be a tumor
suppressor or an oncogene, which was depended on the cancer type. In this review, we summarized the function of
microRNA-126 in ischemic stroke, atherosclerosis, diabetics, tumor, and discussed the underlying mechanisms.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, diabetes, ischemia, microRNA-126

INTRODUCTION
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are 20-22 nucleotides single-strand and non-coding RNA, which are involved in
regulating diverse cellular processes. MiRNAs are originally transcribed from portion of introns of mRNA
[1]
or independent miRNA genes . MiRNAs regulate gene expression through Ago2-RISC or Ago1-RISC,
[2]
which depends on if miRNA precisely matched with its target sequence .
MicroRNA-126 (miR-126) is located in an intron of the epidermal growth factor-like-domain 7 gene
(EGFL7). The pri-miR-126 is transcribed from EGFL7 by RNA polymerase II. With the aid of RNase III

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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