A Complex Relationship between Visfatin and Resistin and microRNA: An In Vitro Study on Human Chondrocyte Cultures

Growing evidence indicates the important role of adipokines and microRNA (miRNA) in osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of visfatin and resistin on some miRNA (34a, 140, 146a, 155, 181a, let-7e), metalloproteinases (MMPs), and collagen type II alpha 1 chain (Col2a1) in human OA chondrocytes and in the T/C-28a2 cell line. The implication of nuclear factor (NF)-κB in response to adipokines was also assessed. Chondrocytes were stimulated with visfatin (5 or 10 μg/mL) and resistin (50 or 100 ng/mL) with or without NF-κB inhibitor (BAY-11-7082, 1 μM) for 24 h. Viability and apoptosis were detected by MMT and cytometry, miRNA, MMP-1, MMP-13, and Col2a1 by qRT-PCR and NF-κB activation by immunofluorescence. Visfatin and resistin significantly reduced viability, induced apoptosis, increased miR-34a, miR-155, miR-181a, and miR-let7e, and reduced miR-140 and miR-146a gene expression in OA chondrocytes. MMP-1, MMP-13, and Col2a1 were significantly modulated by treatment of OA chondrocytes with adipokines. Visfatin and resistin significantly increased NF-κB activation, while the co-treatment with BAY11-7082 did not change MMPs or Col2a1 levels beyond that caused by single treatment. Visfatin and resistin regulate the expression levels of some miRNA involved in OA pathogenesis and exert catabolic functions in chondrocytes via the NF-κB pathway. These data confirm the complex relationship between adipokines and miRNA.