FOXO3 is targeted by miR-223-3p and promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by enhancing autophagy

circCUL3 drives malignant progression of cervical cancer by activating autophagy through sponge miR-223-3p upregulation of ATG7

Circular RNA (circRNA) has emerged as a pivotal regulatory factor in cancer biology, yet its exact role in cervical cancer remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the functional role of circCUL3 in cervical cancer and explored its potential as a therapeutic target. Functional gain and loss experiments were conducted in Hela and Siha cell lines to elucidate the biological functions of circCUL3 in cervical cancer. The results revealed that circCUL3 overexpression significantly enhanced cell viability, migration, and invasion while suppressing apoptosis, while circCUL3 knockout displayed the opposite effects. Mechanistically, we identified hsa-miR-223-3p as a target of circCUL3, with its expression being negatively regulated by circCUL3. Furthermore, we discovered that circCUL3 could sequester miR-223-3p, leading to the upregulation of ATG7 expression, and this was linked to the regulation of autophagy in cervical cancer cells. In vivo validation using a xenograft mouse model further supported our in vitro findings. Notably, we found that chloroquine (CQ), an autophagy inhibitor, restored miR-223-3p expression and counteracted the oncogenic effect of circCUL3 overexpression. In conclusion, circCUL3 potentially contributes to the malignant progression of cervical cancer by acting as a sponge for miR-223-3p, resulting in the upregulation of ATG7 and the activation of autophagy.

CBP-mediated FOXO4 acetylation facilitates postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) progression through the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

FOXO4 was previously identified as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) using bioinformatic analysis, but its specific function and molecular mechanism in the progression of osteoporosis was not reported. The current study was designed to investigate the biological function and underlying mechanism of FOXO4 in PMO. Our results showed that FOXO4 expression was significantly upregulated in the serum samples of PMO patients, which was also negatively correlated with the expression of osteogenesis genes (OCN and ALP). In addition, FOXO4 depletion alleviated osteoporosis by facilitating osteogenic differentiation and inhibiting adipogenic differentiation in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). Overexpression of FOXO4 exerted the opposite effects on the osteogenic/adipogenic differentiation in hBMSCs. Moreover, FOXO4 knockdown activated the Wnt/β-catenin signaling whereas the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling overturned the effects of FOXO4 deficiency on osteoporosis. Furthermore, FOXO4 upregulation in PMO was caused by CBP-induced acetylation. In summary, our data demonstrated that FOXO4 was a potent biomarker for PMO and mediated the balance between osteogenesis and adipogenesis in hBMSCs by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Small non-coding RNAs and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: Linking diagnosis, pathogenesis, drug resistance, and therapeutic potential

This review comprehensively investigates the intricate interplay between small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a devastating malignancy with limited therapeutic options. Our analysis reveals the pivotal roles of sncRNAs in various facets of PDAC biology, spanning diagnosis, pathogenesis, drug resistance, and therapeutic strategies. sncRNAs have emerged as promising biomarkers for PDAC, demonstrating distinct expression profiles in diseased tissues. sncRNA differential expression patterns, often detectable in bodily fluids, hold potential for early and minimally invasive diagnostic approaches. Furthermore, sncRNAs exhibit intricate involvement in PDAC pathogenesis, regulating critical cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. Additionally, mechanistic insights into sncRNA-mediated pathogenic pathways illuminate novel therapeutic targets and interventions. A significant focus of this review is dedicated to unraveling sncRNA mechanisms underlying drug resistance in PDAC. Understanding these mechanisms at the molecular level is imperative for devising strategies to overcome drug resistance. Exploring the therapeutic landscape, we discuss the potential of sncRNAs as therapeutic agents themselves as their ability to modulate gene expression with high specificity renders them attractive candidates for targeted therapy. In summary, this review integrates current knowledge on sncRNAs in PDAC, offering a holistic perspective on their diagnostic, pathogenic, and therapeutic relevance. By elucidating the roles of sncRNAs in PDAC biology, this review provides valuable insights for the development of novel diagnostic tools and targeted therapeutic approaches, crucial for improving the prognosis of PDAC patients.

LncRNA MAGI2-AS3 promotes fracture healing through downregulation of miR-223-3p

BACKGROUND

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are recognized as a pivotal element in the processes of fracture healing and the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. This study investigated the molecular mechanism and regulatory significance of lncRNA MAGI2-AS3 (MAGI2-AS3) in fracture healing.

METHODS

Serum levels of MAGI2-AS3 in patients with normal and delayed fracture healing were verified by RT-qPCR assays. The predictive efficacy of MAGI2-AS3 for delayed fracture healing was analyzed by ROC curve. Osteogenic markers were quantified by RT-qPCR assays. MC3T3-E1 cell viability was detected using CCK-8 assay, and flow cytometry was utilized to measure cell apoptosis. The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was used to determine the targeted binding between MAGI2-AS3 and miR-223-3p.

RESULTS

Serum MAGI2-AS3 expression was decreased in patients with delayed fracture healing compared with patients with normal healing. Elevated MAGI2-AS3 resulted in an upregulation of the proliferative capacity of MC3T3-E1 cells and a decrease in mortality, along with increased levels of both osteogenic markers. However, after transfection silencing MAGI2-AS3, the trend was reversed. Additionally, miR-223-3p was the downstream target of MAGI2-AS3 and was controlled by MAGI2-AS3. miR-223-3p mimic reversed the promoting effects of MAGI2-AS3 overexpression on osteogenic marker levels and cell growth, and induced cell apoptosis.

CONCLUSION

The upregulation of MAGI2-AS3 may expedite the healing of fracture patients by targeting miR-223-3p, offering a novel biomarker for diagnosing patients with delayed healing.

Regulation of mesenchymal stem cell differentiation by autophagy

Autophagy, a process that isolates intracellular components and fuses them with lysosomes for degradation, plays an important cytoprotective role by eliminating harmful intracellular substances and maintaining cellular homeostasis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent progenitor cells with the capacity for self-renewal that can give rise to a subset of tissues and therefore have potential in regenerative medicine. However, a variety of variables influence the biological activity of MSCs following their proliferation and transplantation in vitro. The regulation of autophagy in MSCs represents a possible mechanism that influences MSC differentiation properties under the right microenvironment, affecting their regenerative and therapeutic potential. However, a deeper understanding of exactly how autophagy is mobilized to function as well as clarifying the mechanisms by which autophagy promotes MSCs differentiation is still needed. Here, we review the current literature on the complex link between MSCs differentiation and autophagy induced by various extracellular or intracellular stimuli and the molecular targets that influence MSCs lineage determination, which may highlight the potential regulation of autophagy on MSCs' therapeutic capacity, and provide a broader perspective on the clinical application of MSCs in the treatment of a wide range of diseases.

Unraveling IGFBP3-mediated m6A modification in fracture healing

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the role of IGFBP3-mediated m6A modification in regulating the miR-23a-3p/SMAD5 axis and its impact on fracture healing, aiming to provide insights into potential therapeutic targets.

METHODS

Utilizing fracture-related datasets, we identified m6A modification-related mRNA and predicted miR-23a-3p as a regulator of SMAD5. We established a mouse fracture healing model and conducted experiments, including Micro-CT, RT-qPCR, Alizarin Red staining, and Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, to assess gene expression and osteogenic differentiation.

RESULTS

IGFBP3 emerged as a crucial player in fracture healing, stabilizing miR-23a-3p through m6A modification, leading to SMAD5 downregulation. This, in turn, inhibited osteogenic differentiation and delayed fracture healing. Inhibition of IGFBP3 partially reversed through SMAD5 inhibition, restoring osteogenic differentiation and fracture healing in vivo.

CONCLUSION

The IGFBP3/miR-23a-3p/SMAD5 axis plays a pivotal role in fracture healing, highlighting the relevance of m6A modification. IGFBP3's role in stabilizing miR-23a-3p expression through m6A modification offers a potential therapeutic target for enhancing fracture healing outcomes.

MicroRNAs-associated with FOXO3 in cellular senescence and other stress responses

FOXO3 is a member of the FOXO transcription factor family and is known for regulating cellular survival in response to stress caused by various external and biological stimuli. FOXO3 decides cell fate by modulating cellular senescence, apoptosis and autophagy by transcriptional regulation of genes involved in DNA damage response and oxidative stress resistance. These cellular processes are tightly regulated physiologically, with FOXO3 acting as the hub that integrates signalling networks controlling them. The activity of FOXO3 is influenced by post-translational modifications, altering its subcellular localisation. In addition, FOXO3 can also be regulated directly or indirectly by microRNAs (miRNAs) or vice versa. This review discusses the involvement of various miRNAs in FOXO3-driven cellular responses such as senescence, apoptosis, autophagy, redox and inflammation defence. Given that these responses are linked and influence cell fate, a thorough understanding of the complex regulation by miRNAs would provide key information for developing therapeutic strategy and avoid unintended consequences caused by off-site targeting of FOXO3.

Regulatory mechanisms of autophagy-related ncRNAs in bone metabolic diseases

Bone metabolic diseases have been tormented and are plaguing people worldwide due to the lack of effective and thorough medical interventions and the poor understanding of their pathogenesis. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are heterogeneous transcripts that cannot encode the proteins but can affect the expressions of other genes. Autophagy is a fundamental mechanism for keeping cell viability, recycling cellular contents through the lysosomal pathway, and maintaining the homeostasis of the intracellular environment. There is growing evidence that ncRNAs, autophagy, and crosstalk between ncRNAs and autophagy play complex roles in progression of metabolic bone disease. This review investigated the complex mechanisms by which ncRNAs, mainly micro RNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), regulate autophagic pathway to assist in treating bone metabolism disorders. It aimed at identifying the autophagy role in bone metabolism disorders and understanding the role, potential, and challenges of crosstalk between ncRNAs and autophagy for bone metabolism disorders treatment.

Exosomal microRNA-223 from neutrophil-like cells inhibits osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs through the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Neutrophils-derived exosomes have been shown to cause tissue inflammation in many diseases, but their role in periodontitis, a neutrophil-mediated disease, is unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of neutrophil-like cells derived exosomes on osteogenic dysfunction of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) in periodontitis.

METHODS

Neutrophil-like cells were derived from HL-60 cells by dimethylsulfoxide stimulation. Exosomes were isolated by ultracentrifugation and characterized using transmission electron microscopy, nanoflow cytometry and western blot. MicroRNA-223 (miR-223) expression were analyzed by real-time PCR. Western blot, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and alizarin red staining were conducted to assess whether exosomes could affect the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs. The expression of miR-223 was inhibited in PDLSCs by transfecting with miR-223 inhibitor. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) expression was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

We found that miR-223 was significantly increased in neutrophils and neutrophil-like cells derived exosomes. Treatment with exosomes derived from neutrophil-like cells upregulated miR-223 expression and inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs, while transfection with miR-223 inhibitor significantly promoted PDLSCs osteogenic differentiation. In addition, co-treatment with KT5823, a cGMP-PKG pathway inhibitor, markedly abrogated the rescue effects of miR-223 inhibitor on the osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that neutrophil-like cells derived exosomes might inhibit osteogenic differentiation of PDLSCs by transporting miR-223 and regulating the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway.

Stimulating factors for regulation of osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), distributed in many tissues in the human body, are multipotent cells capable of differentiating in specific directions. It is usually considered that the differentiation process of MSCs depends on specialized external stimulating factors, including cell signaling pathways, cytokines, and other physical stimuli. Recent findings have revealed other underrated roles in the differentiation process of MSCs, such as material morphology and exosomes. Although relevant achievements have substantially advanced the applicability of MSCs, some of these regulatory mechanisms still need to be better understood. Moreover, limitations such as long-term survival in vivo hinder the clinical application of MSCs therapy. This review article summarizes current knowledge regarding the differentiation patterns of MSCs under specific stimulating factors.

A novel identified circular RNA, circSnap47, promotes heart failure progression via regulation of miR-223-3p/MAPK axis

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of circSnap47 on heart failure (HF) and its potential mechanisms. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the mRNA expression levels of circSnap47 and miR-233-3p. The viability and apoptosis of H9C2 cells were assessed using CCK-8 and TUNEL assays. The expressions of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were determined using ELISA and qRT-PCR. In addition, the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway-related proteins was analyzed using western blot. Moreover, HF-related circRNAs and miRNAs were predicted via bioinformatics analysis. The relationship between circSnap47 and miR-233-3p was further confirmed using a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. In HF tissues and H9C2 cells treated with oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), circSnap47 was upregulated. Silencing circSnap47 increased cell viability and inhibited apoptosis. Besides, silencing circSnap47 alleviated OGD-induced inflammation in H9C2 cells. Moreover, we found that miR-233-3p was the downstream target gene of circSnap47. Our results also revealed that silencing circSnap47 relieved OGD-induced H9C2 cell damage by inactivating the miR-223-3p/MAPK axis. We confirmed that circSnap47 silencing inhibited HF progression via regulation of miR-223/MAPK axis, which will provide for a new therapeutic direction for the treatment of HF.

MiR-29a-3p Inhibits Proliferation and Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells via Targeting FOXO3 and Repressing Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Steroid-Associated Osteonecrosis

Background and Objectives

This study was to investigate the role of microRNA-29a-3p (miR-29a-3p) in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs), and its relationship with steroid-associated osteonecrosis.

Methods and Results

The online tool GEO2R was used to screen out the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in GSE123568 dataset. Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression of miR-29a-3p, forkhead box O3 (FOXO3), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein (OCN) and RUNX family transcription factor 2 (Runx2) in the hBMSCs isolated from the patients with steroid-associated osteonecrosis. CCK-8 assay was executed to measure cell viability; western blot assay was utilized to detect FOXO3, ALP, Runx2, OCN and β-catenin expression. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the sub-cellular localization of β-catenin. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter gene assay were performed to confirm whether miR-29a-3p can combine with FOXO3 3’UTR. MiR-29a-3p was markedly up-regulated in the hBMSCs of patients with steroid-associated osteonecrosis, while FOXO3 mRNA was significantly down-regulated. Transfection of miR-29a-3p mimics significantly inhibited the hBMSCs’ proliferation, osteogenic differentiation markers’ expressions, including ALP, Runx2, OCN, and repressed the ALP activity, as well as promoted cell apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest. FOXO3 was identified as a target gene of miR-29a-3p, and miR-29a-3p can inhibit the expression of FOXO3 and β-catenin, and inhibition of miR-29a-3p promoted translocation of β-catenin to the nucleus.

Conclusions

MiR-29a-3p can modulate FOXO3 expression and Wnt/β-catenin signaling to inhibit viability and osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, thereby promoting the development of steroid-associated osteonecrosis.

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.

Integrated Network Pharmacology and Mice Model to Investigate Qing Zao Fang for Treating Sjögren's Syndrome

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease, and its conventional treatment has exhibited limited therapeutic efficacy. Qing Zao Fang (QZF), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, is used in the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome, but its chemical composition is complex, and its pharmacological mechanism is not clear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the potential mechanism of QZF in the treatment of Sjögren's syndrome based on network pharmacology and SS mouse model. The main active components and predicted targets of QZF were analyzed by network pharmacology. The SS mouse model was constructed and divided into 6 groups: control, SS, SS + hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-treated, SS + low-dose QZF-treated, SS + medium-dose QZF-treated, and SS + high-dose QZF-treated group. Immunohistochemical, ELISA, and qRT-PCR assays were performed to detect the expressions of targets associated with SS. TUNEL staining was used to detect apoptosis. Cumulatively, 230 active compounds and 1883 targets of QZF were identified. There were 227 common targets for QZF and SS. The effective active ingredients were stigmasterol, neocryptotanshinone II, neotanshinone C, miltionone I, and beta-pinene. It mainly acts on biological processes such as inflammatory response, chemokine metabolic process, and immune response as well as pathways such as FoxO signaling pathway, Yersinia infection, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and TNF signaling pathway. In SS mice, levels of AKT1, HIF-1α, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-17A were increased, while decreased after QZF treatment. In contrast, IL-10 levels were decreased in SS mice and increased in QZF-treated mice. In addition, QZF reduced apoptosis in the submandibular gland tissue compared to SS mice. It can be concluded that the QZF in treatment of SS is the result of the combined action of multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways. This study improves the understanding of the link between QZF and SS on molecular mechanisms.

miR-30b-5p inhibits osteoblast differentiation through targeting BCL6

Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) are attractive candidates for new therapies to improve bone regeneration and repair. This study was to identify the function of the miR-30b-5p/BCL6 axis in osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Realtime-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting were used to measure the relative expression of ALP, OCN, RUNX2, miR-30b-5p, and BCL6 during osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. The relationship between miR-30b-5p and BCL6 in hBMSCs was identified using dual-luciferase reporter system and RNA pull-down assay. Alizarin red S staining (ARS) was used to detect the calcium nodules in hBMSCs. We found that the expression of miR-30b-5p was downregulated, whereas that of BCL6 was upregulated during osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Downregulating miR-30b-5p enhanced the expression of OCN, RUNX2, and ALP, and promoted calcium deposition. Conversely, transfection with si-BCL6 had the opposite effect that it inhibited osteogenic differentiation. However, the inhibitory effect of si-BCL6 was abrogated by miR-30b-5p inhibitor. miR-30b-5p inhibits the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs by targeting BCL6.

Specific microRNAs for Modulation of Autophagy in Spinal Cord Injury

The treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) is currently a major challenge, with a severe lack of effective therapies for yielding meaningful improvements in function. Therefore, there is a great opportunity for the development of novel treatment strategies for SCI. The modulation of autophagy, a process by which a cell degrades and recycles unnecessary or harmful components (protein aggregates, organelles, etc.) to maintain cellular homeostasis and respond to a changing microenvironment, is thought to have potential for treating many neurodegenerative conditions, including SCI. The discovery of microRNAs (miRNAs), which are short ribonucleotide transcripts for targeting of specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) for silencing, shows prevention of the translation of mRNAs to the corresponding proteins affecting various cellular processes, including autophagy. The number of known miRNAs and their targets continues to grow rapidly. This review article aims to explore the relationship between autophagy and SCI, specifically with the intent of identifying specific miRNAs that can be useful to modulate autophagy for neuroprotection and the improvement of functional recovery in SCI.

miRNAs Related to Different Processes of Fracture Healing: An Integrative Overview

Fracture healing is a complex, dynamic process that is directed by cellular communication and requires multiple cell types, such as osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and immune cells. Physiological fracture healing can be divided into several phases that consist of different processes, such as angiogenesis, osteogenesis, and bone resorption/remodelling. This is needed to guarantee proper bone regeneration after fracture. Communication and molecular regulation between different cell types and within cells is therefore key in successfully orchestrating these processes to ensure adequate bone healing. Among others, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in cellular communication. microRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules of ~22 nucleotides long that can greatly influence gene expression by post-transcriptional regulation. Over the course of the past decade, more insights have been gained in the field of miRNAs and their role in cellular signalling in both inter- and intracellular pathways. The interplay between miRNAs and their mRNA targets, and the effect thereof on different processes and aspects within fracture healing, have shown to be interesting research topics with possible future diagnostic and therapeutic potential. Considering bone regeneration, research moreover focusses on specific microRNAs and their involvement in individual pathways. However, it is required to combine these data to gain more understanding on the effects of miRNAs in the dynamic process of fracture healing, and to enhance their translational application in research, as well as in the clinic. Therefore, this review aims to provide an integrative overview on miRNAs in fracture healing, related to several key aspects in the fracture healing cascade. A special focus will be put on hypoxia, angiogenesis, bone resorption, osteoclastogenesis, mineralization, osteogenesis, osteoblastogenesis, osteocytogenesis, and chondrogenesis.

miR-223 Enhances the Neuroprotection of Estradiol Against Oxidative Stress Injury by Inhibiting the FOXO3/TXNIP Axis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disorder characterized by complex pathogenesis, of which oxidative stress has long been regarded as a major mechanism. Previously, the protective effects of estradiol on SH-SY5Y cells against Aβ42-induced injuries were demonstrated. In this study, the protection of SH-SY5Y cells by estradiol from H₂O₂-caused oxidative stress injury and Alzheimer's mice was further confirmed. H₂O₂ downregulated, whereas estradiol upregulated miR-223 expression. miR-223 overexpression promoted cell viability, inhibited cell apoptosis, reduced ROS levels, enhanced Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity, and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. However, miR-223 inhibition exerted opposite effects. miR-223 directly targeted forkhead box O3 (FOXO3) and inhibited FOXO3 expression. H₂O₂ increased, whereas estradiol decreased thioredoxin interacting protein (TXNIP) levels; FOXO3 positively regulated TXNIP protein levels. In SH-SY5Y cells, FOXO3 overexpression increased, whereas FOXO3 knockdown reduced the cell apoptosis and ROS levels. FOXO3 bound to TXNIP promoter region and activated TXNIP transcription, whereas the activation could be partially inhibited by estradiol. Collectively, the FOXO3/TXNIP axis is downstream of miR-223. miR-223 enhances the neuroprotection of estradiol against oxidative stress injury through the FOXO3/TXNIP axis.

Identification of Potential Osteoporosis miRNA Biomarkers Using Bioinformatics Approaches

Osteoporosis is a degenerative osteoarthropathy commonly found in old people and postmenopausal women. Many studies showed that microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate the expression of osteoporosis-related genes and are abnormally expressed in patients with osteoporosis. miRNAs therefore have the potential to serve as biomarkers of osteoporosis. In this study, the limma package was used for the differential expression analysis of mRNA expression profiles and 357 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained. Metascape was used for functional enrichment analysis of DEGs. The result revealed that DEGs were mainly enriched in signaling pathways like MAPK6/MAPK4. Based on the STRING database, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs was constructed. MCODE was used to analyze the functional subsets, and a key functional subset composed of 9 genes was screened out. In addition, the miRNA-mRNA regulatory interaction network (RegIN) was analyzed by the CyTargetLinker plugin, which generated 55 miRNA-mRNA regulatory interactions. Through literature searching, the osteoporosis-related gene FOXO1 in the key functional subset was determined to be the main object of the study. In qRT-PCR assay, the expression of the predicted miRNAs was tested in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of mice with osteoporosis, in which 13 miRNAs were remarkably highly expressed. All in all, this study, based on bioinformatics analysis and testing assay of miRNA expression, determined the potential biomarkers of osteoporosis.

MicroRNA-223-3p is involved in fracture healing by regulating fibroblast growth factor receptor 2

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are powerful modulators of fracture healing. The research explored the level of serum miR-223-3p in fracture patients and its potential mechanism in fracture healing. In the study, miR-223-3p levels in 42 patients with intra-articular fracture and 40 patients with hand fracture were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR reaction (qRT-PCR). Subsequently, osteoblasts MC3T3-E1 was transfected with miR-223-3p mimic or inhibitor, and cell function was detected by Cell counting kit (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry. Dual-luciferase reporter assay verified the regulation mechanism of miR-223-3p and its target genes. We found that miR-223-3p was significantly elevated over time in patients with intra-articular fracture and hand fracture compared with healthy individuals. Moreover, increased miR-223-3p significantly reduced cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis. The fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) was the target of miR-223-3p. Serum FGFR2 was significantly decreased in patients, which was contrary to the expression of miR-223-3p. Moreover, FGFR2 levels in cells were negatively regulated by miR-223-3p. Finally, si-FGFR2 significantly reversed the promotion of miR-223-3p inhibitor on cell viability and the inhibition of cell apoptosis. Our research suggested that miR-223-3p is highly expressed in fracture patients, and regulates osteoblast cell viability and apoptosis by targeting FGFR2. This may be a valuable target for fracture healing therapy and provide a new perspective for its treatment.

Quercetin prevents isoprenaline-induced myocardial fibrosis by promoting autophagy via regulating miR-223-3p/FOXO3

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the common arrhythmias. Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is closely related to atrial remodeling and leads to AF. MF is the main cause of cardiovascular diseases and a pathological basis of AF. Thus, the underlying mechanism in MF and AF development should be fully elucidated for AF therapeutic innovation. Autophagy is a highly conserved lysosomal degradation pathway, and the relationship between autophagy and MF has been previously shown. Moreover, research reported that quercetin (Que) could ameliorate MF. The current study aimed to explore the mechanism of Que in MF. The results in this study showed that in clinical AF patients and in aged rats, miR-223-3p was high-expressed, while FOXO3 and autophagy pathway related proteins, such as ATG7, p62/SQSTM1 and the ratio of LC3B-II/LC3B-I were significantly inhibited. In vivo and in vitro studies, we found that Que can effectively inhibit the expression of miR-223-3p in AF model cells and rats myocardial tissues, and meanwhile enhance the expression of FOXO3 and activate the autophagy pathway, and significantly inhibit myocardial fibrosis, and improve myocardial remodeling in atrial fibrillation. All in all, in this study, we found that Que prevents isoprenaline-induced MF by increasing autophagy via regulating miR-223-3p/FOXO3.

The interplay of microRNAs and transcription factors in autophagy regulation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

The autophagy-lysosomal degradation system has an important role in maintaining liver homeostasis by removing unnecessary intracellular components. Impaired autophagy has been linked to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which includes hepatitis, steatosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Thus, gaining an understanding of the mechanisms that regulate autophagy and how autophagy contributes to the development and progression of NAFLD has become the focus of recent studies. Autophagy regulation has been thought to be primarily regulated by cytoplasmic processes; however, recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) also act as key regulators of autophagy by targeting autophagy-related genes. In this review, we summarize the miRNAs and TFs that regulate the autophagy pathway in NAFLD. We further focus on the transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of autophagy and discuss the complex regulatory networks involving these regulators in autophagy. Finally, we highlight the potential of targeting miRNAs and TFs involved in the regulation of autophagy for the treatment of NAFLD.

Transcriptome Sequencing reveals the expressed profiles of mRNA and ncRNAs and regulate network via ceRNA mediated molecular mechanism of lung adenocarcinoma bone metastasis in Xuanwei

Background

The most ordinary subtype of lung cancer is lung adenocarcinoma (LuAC), which is characterized by strong metastatic ability. And LuAC rates in Xuanwei leads to the poor prognosis and high death rate. In this study, we systematically explored the molecular mechanism of LuAC bone metastasis in Xuanwei by transcriptome sequencing.

Methods

RNA Sequencing was conducted to explore the noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) expression profiles in primary LuAC and LuAC bone metastasis. We identified differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and circRNAs (DEcircRNAs). Bioinformatics analyses the possible relationships and functions of the LuAC bone metastasis-related competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). And qRT-PCR was performed to evaluate the expression of these differently expressed genes in serum.

Results

A total of 2,141 DEmRNAs, 43 DEmiRNAs, 136 DElncRNAs and 706 DEcircRNAs were identified in the Xuanwei patients with primary LuAC vs. LuAC bone metastasis, respectively. The circRNA/miRNA/mRNA and lncRNA/miRNA/mRNA networks of LuAC in Xuanwei with bone metastasis were built, and the gene expression mechanisms regulated by ncRNAs were unveiled via the ceRNA regulatory networks. We observe that lncRNA (ADAMTS9-AS2, TEX41, DLEU2, LINC00152)-miR-223-3p-SCARB1 and hsa_circ_0000053-miR-196a-5p/miR-196b-5p-HOXA5 ceRNA networks might play an important role in bone metastasis of Xuanwei LuAC.

Conclusions

We comprehensively identified ceRNA regulatory networks of LuAC in Xuanwei with bone metastasis as well as revealed the contribution of different ncRNAs expression profiles. Our data demonstrate the association between mRNAs and ncRNAs in the metastasis mechanism of LuAC in Xuanwei with bone metastasis.