Effects of ticagrelor on proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammatory factors of human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells through lncRNA KCNQ10T1

Objective: This study was designed to determine the effects of ticagrelor on the proliferation and apoptosis of and inflammatory factors in human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs). Methods: A total of 20 patients who were first diagnosed with coronary heart disease (CHD) from August 2020 to March 2021 and 20 healthy adults were enrolled into the study. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) and different concentrations of ticagrelor were applied in the treatment of HAVSMCs, and then the cell proliferation and apoptosis and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins, inflammatory factors, and I kappa B alpha in them were determined. Results: Compared with the ox-LDL group, the OD value was significantly increased after ticagrelor treatment, and the apoptosis rate was significantly reduced (P<0.05); compared with the ox-LDL group, the B lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein, IKB, KCNQ10T1 expression in the ticagrelor group increased significantly, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) expression decreased significantly (P<0.05); The expression of serum KCNQ10T1 in patients with coronary heart disease was significantly higher than that in healthy individuals (P<0.05). Conclusion: Ticagrelor may regulate the expression of lncRNA KCNQ10T1 and up-regulate the expression of I kappa B alpha to promote proliferation and anti-apoptosis, so as to prevent ox-LDL from oxidative damage to HAVSMCs.