MiR-223-3p affects the proliferation and apoptosis of HCAECs in Kawasaki disease by regulating the expression of FOXP3.

Objective: Kawasaki disease (KD) can lead to permanent damage to coronary structures, the pathogenesis of which remains unknown. This experiment was designed to investigate whether miR-223-3p secreted in the serum of KD patients affects the proliferation and apoptosis of HCAECs in KD by regulating FOXP3.

Methods: Blood samples were collected in acute febrile phase of KD, after IVIG treatment, and from healthy controls. Transfected into HCAECs cells by synthetic FOXP3 siRNA/NC. A co-culture system was established between HCAECs cells transfected with FOXP3 siRNA/NC and THP1 cells added with three sera.

Results: Compared with the control group, the expressions of miR-223-3p, RORγt, and Th17 in serum of KD patients were significantly upregulated, and the expressions of TGF-β1, FOXP3 and Treg were significantly downregulated. At the same time, the levels of IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23 were significantly increased, and the levels of IL-10 and FOXP3 were significantly decreased. After IVIG treatment, the patient's above results were reversed. The serum of KD patients increased the expression of miR-223-3p and inhibited the expression of FOXP3 in HCAECs cells. IVIG serum is the opposite. Overexpression of miR-223-3p also promoted the apoptosis of HCAECs. In addition, serum from KD patients promoted apoptosis, whereas serum after IVIG treatment inhibited apoptosis. KD patient serum downregulated the expression of FOXP3, Bcl2, TGF-β1 and IL-10 in cells, and upregulated the expression of caspase3, Bax, IL-17, IL-6, and IL-23. The opposite results were obtained with IVIG-treated sera.

Conclusion: miR-223-3p secreted in serum of KD patients can regulate the expression of FOXP3 and affect the proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammation of cells.