MicroRNA‐29b regulates hypertrophy of murine mesenchymal stem cells induced toward chondrogenesis

Chen

et al. 2020

Stem Cell Res Ther

Background Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) have chondrocyte differentiation potential and are considered to be a cell source for cell-transplantation-mediated repair of cartilage defects, including those associated with osteoarthritis (OA). However, chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation is a major obstacle for the application of hBMSCs in articular cartilage defect treatment. We have previously shown that microRNA-27b (miR-27b) inhibits hypertrophy of chondrocytes from rat knee cartilage. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-27b in chondrocyte hypertrophic differentiation of hBMSCs. Methods Chondrogenic marker and microRNA expression in hBMSC chondrogenic pellets were evaluated using RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. The hBMSCs were transfected with miR-27b before inducing differentiation. Gene and protein expression levels were analyzed using RT-qPCR and western blot. Coimmunoprecipitation was used to confirm interaction between CBFB and RUNX2. Luciferase reporter assays were used to demonstrate that CBFB is a miR-27b target. Chondrogenic differentiation was evaluated in hBMSCs treated with shRNA targeting CBFB. Chondrogenic hBMSC pellets overexpressing miR-27b were implanted into cartilage lesions in model rats; therapeutic effects were assessed based on histology and immunohistochemistry. Results The hBMSCs showed typical MSC differentiation potentials. During chondrogenic differentiation, collagen 2 and 10 (COL2 and COL10), SOX9, and RUNX2 expression was upregulated. Expression of miR-140, miR-143, and miR-181a increased over time, whereas miR-27b and miR-221 were downregulated. Cartilage derived from hBMSC and overexpressing miR-27b exhibited higher expression of COL2 and SOX9, but lower expression of COL10, RUNX2, and CBFB than did the control cartilage. CBFB and RUNX2 formed a complex, and CBFB was identified as a novel miR-27b target. CBFB knockdown by shRNA during hBMSC chondrogenic differentiation led to significantly increased COL2 and SOX9 expression and decreased COL10 expression. Finally, miR-27b-overexpressing hBMSC chondrogenic pellets had better hyaline cartilage morphology and reduced expression of hypertrophic markers and tend to increase repair efficacy in vivo. Conclusion MiR-27b plays an important role in preventing hypertrophic chondrogenesis of hBMSCs by targeting CBFB and is essential for maintaining a hyaline cartilage state. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of hBMSC chondrocyte differentiation and will aid in the development of strategies for treating cartilage injury based on hBMSC transplantation.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MicroRNA-27b targets CBFB to inhibit differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into hypertrophic chondrocytes

Chen

et al. 2020

Stem Cell Res Ther

“…as Col10a1 [44][45][46]. These researches implicated that AA might also alleviate hypertrophic differentiation via keeping the expression of SOX9 in balance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Asiatic acid attenuates hypertrophic and fibrotic differentiation of articular chondrocytes via AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Yang

et al. 2019

Preprint

Background Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disorder, is characterized by a progressive degradation of articular cartilage. Increasing evidence suggests that OA is closely associated with cartilage pathologies including chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis.Methods In this study, we showed that Asiatic acid (AA) treatment reduced chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis. First, the cytotoxicity of AA (0, 5, 10, and 20 μM) to chondrocytes was evaluated, and 5 μM was selected for subsequent experiments. Then, we detected the gene and protein level of chondrocyte hypertrophic markers including type X collagen (COL-X), matrix metalloproteinase - 13 (MMP-13), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and chondrocyte fibrosis markers including type I collagen (COL-Ι) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and chondrogenic markers including SRY-related HMG box 9 (SOX9), type II collagen (COL-II) and aggrecan (ACAN). Further, we texted the mechanism of AA on inhibiting chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis. Finally, we verified the results in an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) rat OA model.Results We found that AA treatment inhibited the hypertrophic and fibrotic phenotype of chondrocytes, without affecting the chondrogenic phenotype. Moreover, we found AA treatment activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited phosphoinositide-3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway in vitro. The results in an ACLT-rat OA model also indicated that AA significantly attenuated chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis.Conclusion AA treatment could reduce hypertrophic and fibrotic differentiation, and maintain the chondrogenic phenotype of articular chondrocytes by targeting the AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our study suggested that AA might be a prospective drug component that targets hypertrophic and fibrotic chondrocytes for OA treatment.

“…Future work is expected to explore the exact mechanism of AA on regulating chondrocyte differentiation. Beyond that, the study has shown that SOX9 can both interact directly with and suppress Runx2 activity and other genes related to hypertrophic chondrocytes, such as Col10a1 [47][48][49]. These researches implicated that AA might also alleviate hypertrophic differentiation via keeping the expression of SOX9 in balance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Asiatic acid attenuates hypertrophic and fibrotic differentiation of articular chondrocytes via AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Yang

et al. 2020

Arthritis Res Ther

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disorder, is characterized by a progressive degradation of articular cartilage. Increasing evidence suggests that OA is closely associated with cartilage pathologies including chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis. Methods: In this study, we showed that asiatic acid (AA) treatment reduced chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis. First, the cytotoxicity of AA (0, 5, 10, and 20 μM) to chondrocytes was evaluated, and 5 μM was selected for subsequent experiments. Then, we detected the gene and protein level of chondrocyte hypertrophic markers including type X collagen (COL-X), matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and runtrelated transcription factor 2 (Runx2); chondrocyte fibrosis markers including type I collagen (COL-Ι) and alphasmooth muscle actin (α-SMA); and chondrogenic markers including SRY-related HMG box 9 (SOX9), type II collagen (COL-II), and aggrecan (ACAN). Further, we tested the mechanism of AA on inhibiting chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis. Finally, we verified the results in an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) rat OA model. Results: We found that AA treatment inhibited the hypertrophic and fibrotic phenotype of chondrocytes, without affecting the chondrogenic phenotype. Moreover, we found that AA treatment activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited phosphoinositide-3 kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway in vitro. The results in an ACLT rat OA model also indicated that AA significantly attenuated chondrocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis. Conclusion: AA treatment could reduce hypertrophic and fibrotic differentiation and maintain the chondrogenic phenotype of articular chondrocytes by targeting the AMPK/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Our study suggested that AA might be a prospective drug component that targets hypertrophic and fibrotic chondrocytes for OA treatment.