An Autophagy-Associated MITF–GAS5–miR-23 Loop Attenuates Vascular Oxidative and Inflammatory Damage in Sepsis

Abstract

Background: Sepsis induces GAS5 expression in the vascular endothelium, but the molecular mechanism is unclear, as is the role of GAS5 in sepsis. Methods and results: We observed that GAS5 expression in the endothelium was significantly upregulated in a sepsis mouse model. ChIP-PCR and EMSA confirmed that the oxidative stress (OS)-activated MiT–TFE transcription factor (MITF, TFE3, and TFEB)-mediated GAS5 transcription. In vitro, GAS5 overexpression attenuated OS and inflammation in endothelial cells (ECs) while maintaining the structural and functional integrity of mitochondria. In vivo, GAS5 reduced tissue ROS levels, maintained vascular barrier function to reduce leakage, and ultimately attenuated sepsis-induced lung injury. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that GAS5 protected MITF from degradation by sponging miR-23, thereby forming a positive feedback loop consisting of MITF, GAS5, and miR-23. Despite the fact that the OS-activated MITF–GAS5–miR-23 loop boosted MITF-mediated p62 transcription, ECs do not need to increase mitophagy to exert mitochondrial quality control since MITF-mediated Nrf2 transcription exists. Compared to mitophagy, MITF-transcribed p62 prefers to facilitate the autophagic degradation of Keap1 through a direct interaction, thereby relieving the inhibition of Nrf2 by Keap1, indicating that MITF can upregulate Nrf2 at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Following this, ChIP-PCR demonstrated that Nrf2 can also transcribe MITF, revealing that there is a reciprocal positive regulatory association between MITF and Nrf2. Conclusion: In sepsis, the ROS-activated MITF–GAS5–miR-23 loop integrated the antioxidant and autophagy systems through MITF-mediated transcription of Nrf2 and p62, which dynamically regulate the level and type of autophagy, as well as exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.