Abstract
Urinary bladder wound healing shares many features with skin healing, involving several molecular players, including microRNAs (miRs). This study investigated the role of miR-132 in urothelial cells. We analyzed miR-132 expression in rat bladder using in situ hybridization and conducted gain and loss of miR-132 function assays in primary human urothelial cells (HUCs). These assays included cell proliferation and migration studies. To explore the regulation of miR-132 expression, cells were treated with wound-healing-related factors such as interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1). Predictive bioinformatics and a literature review identified potential miR-132 targets, which were validated through real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. miR-132 was found to promote cellular proliferation and migration during the early stages of urothelial wound repair. Its expression was modulated by key cytokines such as IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β1. miR-132 played a crucial role in urothelial wound healing by enhancing cell proliferation and migration, regulated by cytokines, suggesting its action within a complex regulatory network. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting miR-132 in bladder injury repair, offering new insights into bladder repair mechanisms.