长链非编码RNA(lncRNA)在基因调控中起关键作用并与众多疾病相关，但其与心血管疾病的研究才刚起步。我们首次用lncRNA和mRNA表达谱芯片进行THP-1巨噬细胞和THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞中lncRNA和mRNA差异筛选，发现THP-1巨噬细胞源性泡沫细胞中lncRNA RP5-833A20.1上调而NFIA下调。进一步实验表明NFIA促进巨噬细胞胆固醇流出而RP5-833A20.1下调NFIA表达并抑制巨噬细胞胆固醇流出。因此我们首次提出RP5-833A20.1-NFIA可能通过调节维持胆固醇平衡相关基因和蛋白表达来影响As形成。本项目拟通过增强RP5-833A20.1和/或NFIA表达，观察RP5-833A20.1-NFIA对维持胆固醇平衡关键基因和蛋白表达的影响及其对As形成的影响，为确立RP5-833A20.1-NFIA作为调控胆固醇平衡和防治As新靶点提供科学依据。

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays a crucial role in regulation of gene expression and is associated with many diseases. However, the effect of lncRNA on cardiovascular diseases is still unknown. Microarray analysis revealed that expression of lncRNA RP5-833A20.1 was up-regulated while expression of NFIA was down-regulated in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells. Furthermore, RP5-833A20.1 reduced macrophage cholesterol efflux through inhibiting NFIA expression. Thus, we hypothesized that atherosclerosis development can be affected by RP5-833A20.1-NFIA through regulating gene and protein expression involved in maintaining cholesterol homeostasis. In this project, we aim to explore the effects of RP5-833A20.1-NFIA on gene and protein expression involved in cholesterol metabolism and on atherosclerosis development by enhancing expression of RP5-833A20.1 and/or NFIA. Therefore, our study may provide new scientific evidence to establish RP5-833A20.1- NFIA as a new target for regulation of cholesterol homeostasis and prevention of atherosclerosis.