# Overexpression of miR‐431‐5p Inhibits the Development of Hypertrophic Scars by Negatively Regulating the Expression of ZEB1

## TL;DR

This study shows that increasing miR-431-5p can reduce the growth of hypertrophic scars by controlling ZEB1 levels.

## Contribution

The study identifies miR-431-5p as a novel regulator of hypertrophic scar development through its negative regulation of ZEB1.

## Key findings

- miR-431-5p is significantly reduced in hypertrophic scar tissues.
- Overexpression of miR-431-5p suppresses cell proliferation and migration while promoting apoptosis.
- ZEB1 overexpression can reverse the effects of miR-431-5p on cellular behavior.

## Abstract

The exact mechanism underlying hypertrophic scar (HS) remains elusive at present.

This study aimed to investigate the potential regulatory mechanism of microRNA‐431‐5p in HS.

100 HS patients were recruited in this study. The relative expression of miR‐431‐5p, ZEB1, and α‐SMA was quantified using RT‐qPCR. Cell proliferation was assessed via the CCK‐8 assay. Cell migration was evaluated using the Transwell. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Inflammatory factors' levels were measured through ELISA (Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay). The targeting regulatory relationship was confirmed by the dual‐luciferase assay.

miR‐431‐5p was significantly reduced in HS tissues. Overexpression of miR‐431‐5p markedly suppressed cell proliferation and migration, promoted apoptosis, downregulated the levels of IL‐1β (Interleukin‐1β) and IL‐6 (Interleukin‐6), and inhibited α‐SMA expression. Moreover, ZEB1 was highly expressed in HS tissues, and miR‐431‐5p negatively regulated ZEB1. Further investigation revealed that overexpression of ZEB1 could partially reverse the regulatory effects of miR‐431‐5p on cellular behavior.

The miR‐431‐5p/ZEB1 axis was involved in the regulation of HS.