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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Author Spotlight: Understanding Cytokine-Induced Cell Death in Intestinal Epithelial Cells Using Human Organoids
Published on: August 2, 2024
LncRNA EPIC1 protects human osteoblasts from dexamethasone-induced cell death
Xiang-Yang Zhang1, Hua-Jian Shan2, Peng Zhang2
1Department of Orthopedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Department of Orthopedics, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Abstract:
Dexamethasone (Dex) can induce injury to human osteoblasts. Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) EPIC1 (Lnc-EPIC1) is a novel Myc-interacting LncRNA. Its effect on Dex-treated human osteoblasts is studied here. In OB-6 osteoblastic cells and primary human osteoblasts, treatment with Dex increased expression of Lnc-EPIC1. Its expression is also elevated in the necrotic femoral head tissues of Dex-taking patients. Ectopic overexpression of Lnc-EPIC1 inhibited Dex-induced apoptosis and programmed necrosis in OB-6 cells and primary human osteoblasts. Reversely, Lnc-EPIC1 silencing by targeted siRNA potentiated Dex-induced cytotoxicity. Myc is the target of Lnc-EPIC1 in osteoblasts. Exogenous overexpression of Myc protected OB-6 cells from Dex. Conversely, Myc knockout by CRISPR-Cas-9 method abolished Lnc-EPIC1-induced OB-6 cytoprotection against Dex. Together, Lnc-EPIC1 expression protects human osteoblasts from Dex possible via regulation of Myc.
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