miR-155-5p regulates mesenchymal stem cell osteogenesis and proliferation by targeting GSK3B in steroid-associated osteonecrosis

Advances in the Pathogenesis of Steroid-Associated Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a refractory orthopedic condition characterized by bone cell ischemia, necrosis, bone trabecular fracture, and clinical symptoms such as pain, femoral head collapse, and joint dysfunction that can lead to disability. The disability rate of ONFH is very high, which imposes a significant economic burden on both families and society. Steroid-associated osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SANFH) is the most common type of ONFH. However, the pathogenesis of SANFH remains unclear, and it is an urgent challenge for orthopedic surgeons to explore it. In this paper, the pathogenesis of SANFH and its related signaling pathways were briefly reviewed to enhance comprehension of the pathogenesis and prevention of SANFH.

Circ_0114581 promotes osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via the MiR-155-5p/HNRNPA3 axis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a common metabolic bone disease characterized by deterioration of bone tissue structure, reduction of bone mass, and susceptibility to fracture. More and new suitable therapeutic targets need to be discovered. The purpose of this study was to explore the ceRNA mechanisms of circRNAs involved in osteoporosis. In this study, a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network was obtained through the application of OP-related high throughput data sets. Our results provided evidence that HNRNPA3 was involved in the regulation of osteogenic differentiation in BMSCs. Testing of human bone tissues and ovariectomized mice bones proved that its expression level was negatively correlated with OP. The utilization of miRNA mimic or inhibitor proved that miR-155-5p could negatively regulate the expression of HNRNPA3, while overexpression of hsa_circ_0114581 with a circRNA overexpression vector proved that hsa_circ_0114581 could indirectly promoted HNRNPA3 expression and osteogenic differentiation by sponging hsa-miR-155-5p. A serious of luciferase reporter assay experiments further verified the binding site between miR-155-5p and HNRNPA3 and the binding site between miR-155-5p and hsa_circ_0114581. This study proved that the hsa_circ_0114581/hsa-miR-155-5p/HNRNPA3 axis was related with OP. The results reveal valuable insights into the pathogenesis of OP and noncoding RNA markers that may have a treatment role and will help to provide hypotheses for future studies.

Zoledronic Acid Accelerates Bone Healing in Carpal Navicular Fracture via Silencing Long Non-coding RNA Growth Arrest Specificity 5 to Modulate MicroRNA-29a-3p Expression

Carpal navicular fractures are the most common carpal fractures. This study intends to explore the specific mechanism of Zoledronic Acid (ZA) in carpal navicular fracture healing via long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest specificity 5 (GAS5) to mediate microRNA (miR)-29a-3p. A fractured rat model was constructed. Two weeks later, a subcutaneous injection of systemic ZA was implemented, and an injection of plasmid vectors interfered with GAS5 or miR-29a-3p expression was performed on the fracture site. Osteocalcin (OCN) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) were determined, as well as serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin (OPN) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) and bone mineral density. MC3T3-E1 cells were transfected with plasmid vectors interfering with GAS5 or miR-29a-3p, and cell proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed. GAS5 and miR-29a-3p expression in fractured rats was tested, together with their binding relationship. ZA promoted OCN and BMP-2 expression, increased bone mineral density and serum levels of ALP, OPN and OPG in fractured rats. GAS5 was upregulated and miR-29a-3p was down-regulated in fractured rats. Downregulation of GAS5 or upregulation of miR-29a-3p further promoted bone healing in fractured rats. GAS5 targets miR-29a-3p, and down-regulation of miR-29a-3p can reverse the effect of down-regulation of GAS5 on bone healing in fractured rats. ZA promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells and inhibited apoptosis by regulating the GAS5/miR-29a-3p axis. ZA regulates miR-29a-3p expression by down-regulating GAS5 to promote carpal navicular fracture healing, promote MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation, and inhibit cell apoptosis.

miR-141-3p Targeted SIRT1 to Inhibit Osteogenic Differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Purpose

To explore the expression of miR-141-3p during the osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and its regulatory effect.

Methods

Differentiation of BMSCs was induced by dexamethasone. The mRNA expression of miR-141-3p, ALP, RUNX2, and OCN was measured using RT-qPCR. The protein expression was detected via western blot. The target of miR-141-3p was predicted through the TargetScan website and confirmed using luciferase reporter assay.

Results

miR-141-3p expression declined during osteogenic differentiation. The relative ALP activities and the mRNA expression of ALP, RUNX2, and OCN were markedly reduced in the miR-141-3p mimic group while increased in the inhibitor group. Cell viability was suppressed in the miR-141-3p mimic group and promoted in the inhibitor group. SIRT1 was predicted to be a downstream gene of miR-141-3p, and this prediction was confirmed via the luciferase reporter assay. The results of the western blot assay demonstrated that SIRT1 expression was decreased in the miR-141-3p mimic group. SIRT1 reversed the inhibitory influence of miR-141-3p on the osteogenic differentiation ability of BMSCs.

Conclusion

miR-141-3p targeted SIRT1 to inhibit osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

The Emerging Role of Non-Coding RNAs in Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are more easily available and frequently used for bone regeneration in clinics. Osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs involves complex regulatory networks affecting bone formation phenomena. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) refer to RNAs that do not encode proteins, mainly including microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs, piwi-interacting RNAs, transfer RNA-derived small RNAs, etc. Recent in vitro and in vivo studies had revealed the regulatory role of ncRNAs in osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. NcRNAs had both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. During the physiological condition, osteo-stimulatory ncRNAs are upregulated and osteo-inhibitory ncRNAs are downregulated. The opposite effects might occur during bone degenerative disease conditions. Intracellular ncRNAs and ncRNAs from neighboring cells delivered via exosomes participate in the regulatory process of osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the regulatory role of ncRNAs on osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs during physiological and pathological conditions. We also discuss the prospects of the application of modulation of ncRNAs function in BMSCs to promote bone tissue regeneration in clinics.

Association of MIR17HG and MIR155HG gene variants with steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head in the population of northern China

Introduction

Steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a disease of the bone. Metabolism and genetic factors are generally considered to play an important role. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MIR17HG and MIR155HG and the risk of steroid-induced ONFH in the population of northern China.

Methods

A total of 199 steroid-induced ONFH patients and 506 healthy controls were recruited for the study. Four SNPs of MIR17HG and seven SNPs of MIR155HG were genotyped by Sequenom MassARRAY. ORs and 95% CIs were used to evaluate the relationship between these SNPs and steroid-induced ONFH.

Results

In the codominant model, patients with the MIR17HG SNPs (rs7318578) AA genotype had an increased risk of steroid-induced ONFH (OR = 1.79, p = 0.039); in the recessive model, patients with the MIR17HG SNP (rs7318578) AA genotype had an increased risk of steroid-induced ONFH (OR = 1.78, p = 0.032). Stratified analysis showed that a MIR17HG SNP (rs7318578) and the MIR155HG SNPs (rs77218221, rs11911469, rs34904192 and rs4143370) were closely related to different unornamented phenotypes of steroid-induced ONFH. Analysis of the clinical indicators revealed significant differences in high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) levels between the ONFH group and the control group (p = 0.005). In the MIR17HG SNP (rs75267932), patients with different genotypes had different levels of triglyceride (TG). The MIR155HG SNPs (rs77699734, rs1893650, and rs34904192) showed differences in triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) levels in patients with different genotypes.

Conclusion

Our results confirm that MIR17HG and MIR155HG gene mutations are associated with steroid-induced ONFH susceptibility in the population of northern China, providing new evidence for the early detection and prevention of ONFH.

Aberrant miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with markers of insulin sensitivity and inflammation

BACKGROUND

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common multifactorial metabolic and endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Increasingly, evidence indicates that the microRNA (miRNA)-mRNA axis contributes to the development of PCOS.

METHODS

To investigate the molecular mechanisms through which miRNA-mRNA expression affects hyperandrogenism, ovarian tissue samples from prenatally androgenized (PNA) mice were subjected to miRNA-seq and RNA-seq analysis. Analyses were performed to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (DEmiRs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs). In combination with our previous data obtained from clinical samples, we have performed an integrated miRNA-mRNA analysis of PNA mice and granulosa cells (GCs) from patients with PCOS. The changes in expression were validated by RT-qPCR in more mouse models and clinical samples.

RESULTS

In total, 3,432 genes and 16 miRNAs were differentially expressed in PNA mice compared with the control mice. We investigated the regulation pattern of miRNAs-mRNAs and observed a total of 12 miRNA-mRNA pairs involved in negative regulation. Functional analysis concentrated on insulin resistance, the T cell receptor signaling pathway, and other inflammation-related pathways. Verification of these results by RT-qPCR showed that the expression of miR-106-5p and miR-155-5p in clinical GCs was consistent with that in PNA mice. After predicting the target genes of miR-106-5p and miR-155-5p and performing negative regulation analysis, six target genes were obtained in GCs. The integration analysis showed that the network of miR-106-5p/miR-155-5p targets was mostly concentrated in pathway related to insulin resistance and inflammation. In addition, the upregulation of the inflammatory genes Il18/IL18 and Socs3/SOCS3 was validated in the PNA mice and GCs from patients compared with the appropriate control sample. The in vitro experiments showed that the regulatory relationship observed may be related to the direct stimulation of DHT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results showed that the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in PCOS was associated with markers of insulin sensitivity and inflammation. Our study provides a new genetic basis and novel insight regarding the pathogenesis of PCOS.

Integrated Analysis of miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Networks Associated with Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) accounts for as many as 18% of total hip arthroplasties. Knowledge of genetic changes and molecular abnormalities could help identify individuals considered to be at a higher risk of developing ONFH. In this study, we sought to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRs) and genes (DEGs) associated with ONFH by integrated bioinformatics analyses as well as to construct the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network involving in the pathogenesis of ONFH. We performed differential expression analysis using a gene expression profile GSE123568 and a miRNA expression profile GSE89587 deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus and identified 47 DEmiRs (24 upregulated miRNAs and 23 downregulated miRNAs) and 529 DEGs (218 upregulated genes and 311 downregulated genes). Gene Ontology enrichment analyses of DEGs suggested that DEGs were significantly enriched in neutrophil activation, cytosol, and ubiquitin-protein transferase activity. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses of DEGs revealed that DEGs were significantly enriched in transcriptional misregulation in cancer. DEGs-based miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks were obtained by searching miRNA-mRNA prediction databases, TargetScan, miTarBase, miRMap, miRDB, and miRanda databases. Then, overlapped miRNAs were selected between these putative miRNAs and DEmiRs between ONFH and non-ONFH, and pairs of the DEmiR-DEG regulatory network were finally depicted. There were 12 nodes and 64 interactions for upDEmiR-downDEG regulatory networks and 6 nodes and 16 interactions for downDEmiR-upDEG regulatory networks. Using the STRING database, we established a protein-protein interaction network based on the overlapped DEGs between ONFH and non-ONFH. C5AR1, CDC27, CDC34, KAT2B, CPPED1, TFDP1, and MX2 were identified as the hub genes. The present study characterizes the miRNA profile, gene profile, and miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in ONFH, which may contribute to the interpretation of the pathogenesis of ONFH and the identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for ONFH.