Fig. 2

Exosomal transfer of lncRNA-NEAT1 from MSCs to cardiomyocytes and cytoprotective effect. a Heat map of lncRNAs differentially expressed between exosomes derived from MSCs pretreated with MIF (exosome^MIF) and exosomes derived from untreated MSCs (exosome). b LncRNA-NEAT1 expression was validated by qRT-PCR in exosome^MIF and exosome. *P < 0.05 vs. exosome. c LncRNA-NEAT1 mRNA was examined by qRT-PCR in cardiomyocytes incubated with exosome^MIF or exosome. *P < 0.05 vs. exosome. MSCs were transfected with siRNA against lncRNA-NEAT1 or control siRNA-NT. d siRNA-mediated transfection efficiency was demonstrated by qRT-PCR. MSCs without treatment were used as a control. Each column represents mean ± SD of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05 vs. siRNA-lncRNA-NEAT1. e, f MSCs were transfected with siRNA against lncRNA-NEAT1 or control siRNA-NT and then treated with MIF, and the exosomes were collected and added to the cardiomyocytes. LncRNA-NEAT1 mRNA levels in exosomes and cardiomyocytes treated with the respective exosomes were examined by qRT-PCR. Exosomes derived from MSCs without treatment were used as a control. Cardiomyocytes without exosome treatment were used as a control. Each column represents mean ± SD of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05 vs. control; ^▲P < 0.05 vs. MIF+siRNA-lncRNA-NEAT1. Exosomes derived from MSCs transfected with siRNA against lncRNA-NEAT1 or control siRNA-NT and treated with MIF, or with MIF alone, were added to H₂O₂-treated cardiomyocytes. g, h Apoptosis was analyzed by FACS. Activities of i caspases 3/7 and j caspase 8 in cell lysates were measured by ELISA. Each column represents mean ± SD of three independent experiments. *P < 0.05 vs. control; ^▲P < 0.05 vs. H₂O₂; ^○P < 0.05 vs. H₂O₂+exosome^{MIF+siRNA-LncRNA-NEAT1}