Molecular mechanisms of the cartilage-specific microRNA-140 in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most widespread chronic degenerative joint disorder, characterized by progressive destruction of articular cartilage, subchondral bone alterations, formation of osteophytes and synovitis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous and non-coding single-strand RNAs with a length of about 22 nucleotides, and many of them are evolutionarily conserved. miRNAs have been implicated in the process of development and pathogenesis of diseases, and tissue-specific miRNA functional studies in mice have revealed both pathogenic and protective functions. miRNA-140 (miR-140) was shown to be specifically expressed in cartilage tissues in developing zebrafish and mouse embryos during the development of both long and flat bones. Recently, miR-140 has been reported in many studies to play significant roles in OA pathogenesis. Although the previous results were not always consistent, the molecular mechanisms of the regulation and dual function of miR-140 in cartilage homeostasis and development have been established in previous studies. Further elucidation of the molecular basis of miR-140 will uncover synergistic inhibitory effects of miR-140 and other factors on OA pathogenesis, and provide a novel means of treating OA disease.