Heart Failure Pleural Fluid Impairs Endothelial Barrier through miR 501-3p Mediated ZO 1 Remodeling

Mechanistically, heart failure pleural fluid increased reactive oxygen species production and inflammatory signaling while downregulating tight junction protein ZO-1. Small RNA profiling identified miR 501 3p as a key mediator of these effects. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments demonstrated that miR 501 3p directly regulates ZO-1 expression and contributes to barrier disruption.

These findings establish a microRNA-dependent mechanism linking heart failure pleural fluid to endothelial dysfunction and suggest a potential molecular pathway contributing to vascular complications in heart failure.