A. 500bp of map4k4’s 3’UTR fragments containing WT or mutated seed sequences were cloned into pmirGLO vectors, and transfected into HEK293 cells in the presence of miR-30d mimic or scramble. Luciferase expression quantification are shown for map4k4. WT Scrm n=9, WT miR-30d n= 9, Mutant Scrm n=4, Mutant miR-30d n=4. P values calculated with non-parametric ANOVA test, corrected using Dunn’s multiple comparison test. B. NRVMs were transfected with either miR-30d mimic or LNA anti-miR-30d and map4k4 mRNA expression was determined 48h later through qPCR; data is represented as fold change vs respective scramble condition. Scrm mimic n=3, miR-30d mimic n=3, LNA Scrm n=7, LNA Anti-miR-30d n=5. C. Role of miR-30d in apoptotic pathways in NRVMs was first determined by transfecting miR-30d mimic or LNA anti-miR30d into NRVMs cultured under anaerobic and serum/glucose free conditions, and co-staining them for TUNEL and α-actinin; results are graphed on the left and representative pictures are shown on the right. Scale bar= 50μm. Scrm mimic n=4, miR-30d mimic n=4, LNA Scrm n=4, LNA Anti-miR-30d n=4. D-E. Role of miR-30d in the Bax/Bcl2 and Caspase-3 apoptotic pathways were determined by transfecting NRVMs with miR-30d mimic (D) or LNA anti-miR-30d (E), and determining the protein levels of these molecules by western blot; quantifications are shown on the left, and representative blots on the right. Scrm mimic n=3, miR-30d mimic n=3, LNA Scrm n=3, LNA Anti-miR-30d n=3. Normality of data (D-G) determined with Shapiro-Wilks test. P values (D-G) calculated with unpaired parametric t-test. F. Quantification of apoptotic NRVMs in response to co-transfection of siRNA anti-map4k4 and LNA Anti-miR-30d under nutrient deprivation and hypoxia. NRVMs transfected with siRNA anti-map4k4 and/or LNA Anti-miR-30d, or their respective negative controls, cultured under glucose and serum deprivation were exposed to hypoxia for 8h, followed by 12h of normoxia in complete media. TUNEL+ Troponin+ NRVMs were quantified through immunofluorescence. Representative images are shown on the left and quantification on the right. Scrm LNA + Scrm siRNA n=4, Scrm LNA + map4k4 siRNA n=4, LNA Anti-miR-30d + Scrm siRNA n=4, LNA Anti-miR-30d + map4k4 siRNA n=4. P values calculated with ordinary ANOVA test, corrected using Tukey’s multiple comparison test. Data are represented as mean ± SD.