2. Academic Validation
  3. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha by miR-203a-3p reduces hypertrophic scar formation via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha by miR-203a-3p reduces hypertrophic scar formation via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

  • Burns Trauma. 2024 Jan 2:12:tkad048. doi: 10.1093/burnst/tkad048.
Shixin Zhao 1 2,  Hengdeng Liu 1 2,  Hanwen Wang 1 2,  Xuefeng He 1 2,  Jinming Tang 1 2,  Shaohai Qi 1 2,  Ronghua Yang 3,  Julin Xie 1 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Burns, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China.
  • 2 Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Burn and Wound Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment Key Technology and Series of Products, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58 Zhongshan Second Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China.
  • 3 Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, South China University of technology, No. 1 Panfu Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510062, China.
PMID: 38179473 DOI: 10.1093/burnst/tkad048
Abstract

Background: Hypertrophic scar (HS) is a common fibroproliferative skin disease that currently has no truly effective therapy. Given the importance of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) in hypertrophic scar formation, the development of therapeutic strategies for endogenous inhibitors against PIK3CA is of great interest. Here, we explored the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of miR-203a-3p (PIK3CA inhibitor) against excessive scar.

Methods: Bioinformatic analysis, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, miRNA screening and fluorescence in situ hybridization assays were used to identify the possible pathways and target molecules mediating HS formation. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were used to clarify the role of PIK3CA and miR-203a-3p in HS. Mechanistically, transcriptomic sequencing, immunoblotting, dual-luciferase assay and rescue experiments were executed.

Results: Herein, we found that PIK3CA and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mTOR pathway were upregulated in scar tissues and positively correlated with fibrosis. We then identified miR-203a-3p as the most suitable endogenous inhibitor of PIK3CA. miR-203a-3p suppressed the proliferation, migration, collagen synthesis and contractility as well as the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts in vitro, and improved the morphology and histology of scars in vivo. Mechanistically, miR-203a-3p attenuated fibrosis by inactivating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by directly targeting PIK3CA.

Conclusions: PIK3CA and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are actively involved in scar fibrosis and miR-203a-3p might serve as a potential strategy for hypertrophic scar therapy through targeting PIK3CA and inactivating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

Keywords

AKT; Fibrosis; Hypertrophic scar; Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha; Transdifferentiation; mTOR; miR-203a-3p; miRNA.

Figures
Products