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Long Noncoding RNA Sponges miR-454 to Promote Osteogenic Differentiation in Maxillary Sinus Membrane Stem Cells
Junquan Weng1, Wei Peng, Shuangxi Zhu
1*Attending Doctor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China; Department of Stomatology, Shenzhen People's Hospital, Second Clinical Medical School of Jinan University, Guangdong, China. †Assistant Researcher, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China. ‡Professor, Chief of Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong, China.
Objective:
Although increasing evidence has shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important regulatory role in pluripotency and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, little is known about the role of lncRNA in maxillary sinus membrane stem cells (MSMSCs). The goal of this study was to investigate the expression profile and function of lncRNAs on osteogenic differentiation of MSMSCs.
Materials And Methods:
By using lncRNA microarray, we identify a novel osteogenesis differentiation-related lncRNA of MSMSCs (lncRNA-MODR). The functional role of lncRNA-MODR in regulating osteogenesis was evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and alizarin red staining. Bioinformatic analyses of the predicted target genes (gene ontology, pathway, and network analysis) were applied for further study of lncRNA-MODR.
Results:
We show that lncRNA-MODR is gradually upregulated during osteogenic differentiation. lncRNA-MODR overexpression upregulated, whereas lncRNA-MODR silencing decreased the expression of the osteogenic key marker, runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). In-depth analyses showed that lncRNA-MODR acts as a molecular sponge for microRNA-454 (miR-454) and that prevents RUNX2 from mi-454-mediated suppression.
Conclusion:
The lncRNAs act as a competing endogenous RNA to sequester microRNA-454 (miR-454), leading to heightened RUNX2 expression and thus promotes osteogenesis of MSMSCs.

