miR-29a-3p transferred by mesenchymal stem cells-derived extracellular vesicles protects against myocardial injury after severe acute pancreatitis

AIMS: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas that may affect local tissues or remote organ systems, while severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) is a life-threatening disorder associated with multiple organ failure. In this investigation, we set about to determine whether microRNA-29a-3p (miR-29a-3p) carried by mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs)-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) affects the myocardial injury during SAP. MAIN METHODS: EVs were isolated from MSCs of rat bone marrow by differential centrifugation. An SAP rat model was developed and treated with MSCs-EVs and/or alteration of miR-29a-3p and HMGB1 expression, followed by assessment of the rats' cardiac function and inflammation. Next, cardiomyocytes H9C2 were co-cultured with MSC-EVs and internalization of EVs was evaluated, followed by evaluation of whether EVs could transmit miR-29a-3p cargos into H9C2 cells and affect their biological functions. KEY FINDINGS: EVs derived from MSCs were observed to protect against SAP-induced myocardial injury. In SAP-induced rats, miR-29a-3p was under-expressed in myocardial tissues. In addition, we also confirmed that miR-29a-3p could be transferred into the H9C2 cardiomyocytes by MSC-derived EVs, which downregulated the expression of inflammatory markers and improve cardiac function to attenuate myocardial injury. Furthermore, miR-29a-3p inhibited the expression of HMGB1 to downregulate TLR4 expression and further inactivate the Akt signaling pathway. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings support the cardioprotective action of miR-29a-3p transmitted by MSCs-derived EVs in SAP-induced myocardial injury via downregulation of the HMGB1/TLR4/Akt axis, highlighting a promising target for the EV-based therapy for SAP.