CircLphn3 protects the blood-brain barrier in traumatic brain injury

Circular RNAs(circRNAs)are a new and large group of non-coding RNA molecules that are abundantly expressed in the central nervous system.However,very little is known about their roles in traumatic brain injury.In this study,we firstly screened differentially expressed circ RNAs in normal and injured brain tissues of mice after traumatic brain injury.We found that the expression of circ Lphn3 was substantially decreased in mouse models of traumatic brain injury and in hemin-treated b End.3(mouse brain cell line)cells.After overexpressing circ Lphn3 in b End.3 cells,the expression of the tight junction proteins,ZO-1,ZO-2,and occludin,was upregulated,and the expression of mi R-185-5 p was decreased.In b End.3 cells transfected with mi R-185-5 p mimics,the expression of ZO-1 was decreased.Dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that circ Lphn3 bound to mi R-185-5 p,and that mi R-185-5 p bound to ZO-1.Additionally,circ Lphn3 overexpression attenuated the hemin-induced high permeability of the in vitro b End.3 cell model of the blood-brain barrier,while mi R-185-5 p transfection increased the permeability.These findings suggest that circ Lphn3,as a molecular sponge of mi R-185-5 p,regulates tight junction proteins'expression after traumatic brain injury,and it thereby improves the permeability of the blood-brain barrier.This study was approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Chongqing Medical University of China(approval No.2021-177)on March 22,2021.