MicroRNA-155 promotes neointimal hyperplasia through smooth muscle-like cell-derived RANTES in arteriovenous fistulas

In the present study, great saphenous vein samples without varicosity (used as a control) were obtained from patients undergoing varicose vein operations. Outflow vein samples with neointimal hyperplasia were obtained from patients who accepted surgical AVF revision due to a low AVF flow. Outflow veins proximal to the anastomosis were harvested for pathological examination or for the extraction of total RNA and protein. The harvest of human samples was got the patient's informed consent. The study of these samples was approved by the Union Hospital Medical Ethics Committee of Huazhong University of Science and Technology.