Role of the ciRS-7/miR-7 axis in the regulation of proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation of chondrocytes induced by IL-1β

• Published in: International immunopharmacology Vol. 71; pp. 233 - 240
• Main Authors: Zhou, Xindie, Jiang, Lifeng, Fan, Guoming, Yang, Haoyu, Wu, Lidong, Huang, Yong, Xu, Nanwei, Li, Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.06.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Biocompatibility; Biomedical materials; Blood; Cartilage; Cartilage (articular); Cartilage diseases; Cell Line; Cell Proliferation; Chondrocytes; Chondrocytes - physiology; ciRS-7; Complementary DNA; Computational Biology; Cytokines; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Flow cytometry; Humans; IL-1β; Immunomodulation; Inflammation; Inhibitors; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; Joint diseases; MicroRNAs - genetics; miR-7; miRNA; Osteoarthritis; Osteoarthritis - genetics; RNA, Long Noncoding - genetics; RNA, Small Interfering - genetics; Sequence Analysis, RNA; siRNA; Transfection; miR-7; Inflammation; ciRS-7; Osteoarthritis; Apoptosis
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2019.03.037

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease caused by articular cartilage degradation and joint inflammation, with considerable involvement of microRNAs and circular RNAs. However, the precise role of the ciRS-7/miR-7 axis within OA still requires further elucidation. In this study, quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was utilized to determine the relative expression of ciRS-7 and miR-7 in blood samples from OA patients compared with those from healthy individuals. Human OA chondrocytes (C28/12 cell line) were transfected with ciRS-7-siRNA, ciRS-7-cDNA, inhibitor or miR-7 mimic to investigate the influence of ciRS-7/miR-7 expression on chondrocyte apoptosis, inflammation and related signaling pathways. Decreased ciRS-7 expression and increased miR-7 expression were observed in OA blood samples. IL-1β exposure of chondrocytes significantly inhibited proliferation and promoted inflammatory cytokine release. ciRS-7 was down-regulated but miR-7 was up-regulated in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. Transfection of ciRS-7 siRNA and miR-7 mimic enhanced the impact of IL-1β on inflammatory cytokine release and cell apoptosis as quantified using ELISA and flow cytometry. Conversely, ciRS-7 cDNA and miR-7 inhibitor induced the reverse effect. These findings demonstrate that the ciRS-7/miR-7 axis can possibly serve as a regulator in mediating proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation in chondrocytes in the process of OA development. •ciRS-7 was significantly down-expressed in OA patients, while miR-7 up-regulated.•ciRS-7/miR-7 axis regulates apoptosis and inflammation in OA chondrocytes.•ciRS-7/miR-7 axis may serve as a marker for OA treatment.