Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to be important regulators during the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). We analyzed the lncRNA expression profile during osteogenic differentiation of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) and identified a significantly downregulated lncRNA RP11-527N22.2, named osteogenic differentiation inhibitory lncRNA 1, ODIR1. In hUC-MSCs, ODIR1 knockdown significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation, whereas overexpression inhibited osteogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, ODIR1 interacts with F-box protein 25 (FBXO25) and facilitates the proteasome-dependent degradation of FBXO25 by recruiting Cullin 3 (CUL3). FBXO25 increases the mono-ubiquitination of H2BK120 (H2BK120ub) which subsequently promotes the trimethylation of H3K4 (H3K4me3). Both H2BK120ub and H3K4me3 form a loose chromatin structure, inducing the transcription of the key transcription factor osterix (OSX) and increasing the expression of the downstream osteoblast markers, osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). In summary, ODIR1 acts as a key negative regulator during the osteogenic differentiation of hUC-MSCs through the FBXO25/H2BK120ub/H3K4me3/OSX axis, which may provide a novel understanding of lncRNAs that regulate the osteogenesis of MSCs and a potential therapeutic strategy for the regeneration of bone defects.

Harnessing the spin–momentum locking of topological surface states in conjunction with magnetic materials is the first step to realize novel topological insulator-based devices. Here, we report strong interfacial coupling in Bi2Se3/yttrium iron garnet (YIG) bilayers manifested as large interfacial in-plane magnetic anisotropy (IMA) and enhancement of damping probed by ferromagnetic resonance. The interfacial IMA and damping enhancement reaches a maximum when the Bi2Se3 film approaches its two-dimensional limit, indicating that topological surface states play an important role in the magnetization dynamics of YIG. Temperature-dependent ferromagnetic resonance of Bi2Se3/YIG reveals signatures of the magnetic proximity effect of TC as high as 180 K, an emerging low-temperature perpendicular magnetic anisotropy competing the high-temperature IMA, and an increasing exchange effective field of YIG steadily increasing toward low temperature. Our study sheds light on the effects of topological insulators on magnetization dynamics, essential for the development of topological insulator-based spintronic devices.

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Thulium iron garnet (TmIG) films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) were grown on gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) (111) substrates by off-axis sputtering. High-resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction studies and spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (Cs-corrected STEM) images showed the excellent crystallinity of the films and their sharp interface with GGG. Damping constant of TmIG thin film was determined to be 0.0133 by frequency-dependent ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements. The saturation magnetization (Ms) and the coercive field (Hc) were obtained systematically as a function of the longitudinal distance (L) between the sputtering target and the substrate. A 170% enhancement of PMA field (H⊥) was achieved by tuning the film composition to increase the tensile strain. Moreover, current-induced magnetization switching on a Pt/TmIG structure was demonstrated with an ultra-low critical current density (jc) of 2.5 × 106 A/cm2, an order of magnitude smaller than the previously reported value. We were able to tune Ms, Hc and H⊥ to obtain an ultra-low jc of switching the magnetization, showing the great potential of sputtered TmIG films for spintronics.

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