Stromal cell-derived factor-1 promotes osteoblastic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via...

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) plays an important role in the osteoblastic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMMSCs), but the specific mechanism remains unclear. Our study aimed to clarify the role of the lncRNA-H19/miR-214-5p/BMP2 axis in the osteoblastic differentiation of hBMMSCs induced by SDF-1.

We used reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, alkaline phosphatase activity test, and Alizarin red staining to evaluate the osteoblastic differentiation of primary hBMMSCs and the luciferase reporter assay to determine if lncRNA-H19 binds with miR-214-5p.

Our results indicated that SDF-1 (50 ng/mL) promotes the osteoblastic differentiation of hBMMSCs, significantly upregulates osteoblastogenic genes (OCN, OSX, RUNX2, and ALP), and increases Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase activity, and lncRNA-H19 expression. Luciferase reporter assay verified that lncRNA-H19 binds with and represses miR-214-5p, thereby upregulating BMP2 expression. Use of miR-214-5p inhibitor or overexpression of lncRNA-H19 can promote the osteoblastic differentiation of hBMMSCs, but miR-214-5p or shH19 inhibits the osteoblastic differentiation of hBMMSCs. Treatment with an miR-214-5p inhibitor could rescue the inhibitory effect of shH19 on the osteoblastic differentiation of hBMMSCs.

Taken together, SDF-1 promotes the osteoblastic differentiation of hBMMSCs through the lncRNA-H19/miR-214-5p/BMP2 axis. Increased osteoblastic differentiation by an miR-214-5p inhibitor reveals a new possible strategy for the treatment of bone defect and osteoporosis.