MicroRNAs (miRNAs) serve as key regulators in human disorders. Previous research reported that miR-211-5p is down-regulated in osteoarthritis (OA) and that Fibulin-4 inhibits chondrocyte differentiation. However, the role of miR-211-5p in the development of OA has not been clarified, and its downstream target has not been studied. This study aimed to explore the effect of miR-211-5p on chondrocyte differentiation and its influence on OA pathogenesis, as well as the interaction between miR-211-5p and Fibulin-4. In this study, we found that miR-211-5p is significantly down-regulated in articular cartilage tissues in an OA rat model, whereas it is clearly up-regulated during chondrocyte differentiation of ATDC5 cells. Silencing miR-211-5p in ATDC5 cells had an adverse effect on chondrocyte differentiation. Fibulin-4 was identified as a target of miR-211-5p, and miR-211-5p participated in chondrocyte differentiation by negatively regulating Fibulin-4 expression. In the OA rat model, miR-211-5p overexpression facilitated chondrocyte differentiation, along with the reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines level and the level of proteinases responsible for cartilage matrix degradation. In summary, miR-211-5p promotes chondrocyte differentiation by negatively regulating Fibulin-4 expression, and represses the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteinases responsible for cartilage matrix degradation in OA. miR-211-5p may serve as a promising target for OA treatment. © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Japanese Biochemical Society. All rights reserved.
Hao Liu, Jun Luo. miR-211-5p contributes to chondrocyte differentiation by suppressing Fibulin-4 expression to play a role in osteoarthritis. Journal of biochemistry. 2019 Dec 01;166(6):495-502
PMID: 31396630
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