Clinical value of serum LncRNA EPB41L4A-AS1 in high-risk carotid artery stenosis and analysis of its mechanism

Abstract Objectives To investigate the diagnostic value of erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1 like 4A gene antisense RNA 1 (EPB41L4A-AS1) for carotid artery stenosis (CAS) and its mechanism of action. Methods A total of 157 patients with CAS and 65 healthy individuals were included. Color doppler ultrasound determined the degree of carotid artery stenosis and plaque stability of the patients. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) detected the expression of EPB41L4A-AS1. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve assessed the diagnostic value of EPB41L4A-AS1 for CAS. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) observed the proliferative ability of the cells, Transwell detected the migration, and enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) validated the expression of inflammatory factors. Results Blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) indexes were significantly elevated in CAS patients, and EPB41L4A-AS1 was significantly down-regulated, which was more pronounced in patients with heavy and unstable plaques. EPB41L4A-AS1 has diagnostic significance for the degree of carotid stenosis and plaque stability in CAS patients. Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) induced cell proliferation and migration, and promotes inflammatory levels. However, overexpression of EPB41L4A-AS1 inhibited cell function and downregulated inflammatory levels. Conclusions Low EPB41L4A-AS1 was positively associated with the degree of carotid artery stenosis and plaque vulnerability in patients with CAS. Overexpression of EPB41L4A-AS1 may alleviate the degree of CAS by downregulating the expression of inflammatory factors.