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Updated: Oct 1, 2025
Tissue Collection and RNA Extraction from the Human Osteoarthritic Knee Joint
Published on: July 22, 2021
MiR-146a expression profiles in osteoarthritis in different tissue sources: a meta-analysis of observational studies
Jia-Neng Liu1, Song Lu1, Chang-Ma Fu2
1Department of Orthopedics, The Third People's Hospital of Hefei, No. 204, Wangjiang East Road, Baohe District, Hefei, 230041, Anhui, China.
Background:
MiR-146a has been widely studied in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA); however, the results are still controversial.
Objective:
This meta-analysis analyzes the expression profile of miR-146a in various tissues of OA patients.
Methods:
Public databases were searched for appropriate studies published up to September 1, 2021. A case-control study comparing the OA population and a non-OA healthy population was included.
Results:
26 articles were included in analysis. The results showed that the expression level of miR-146a in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was significantly higher in OA patients than in controls (SMD: 1.23; 95% CI 0.08-2.37; p = 0.035) but not in plasma (SMD: 1.09; 95% CI - 0.06, 2.24; p = 0.064). The expression level of miR-146a in cartilage was also significantly higher in OA patients than in controls (SMD: 6.39; 95% CI 0.36, 12.4; p = 0.038) but not in chondrocytes (SMD: - 0.71; 95% CI - 4.15, 2.73; p = 0.687). The miR-146a level was significantly lower in synoviocytes in the OA population than in control patients (SMD: - 0.97; 95% CI - 1.68, - 0.26; p = 0.008). In synovial tissue, synovial fluid, and regulatory T cells, there was no significant difference.
Conclusion:
The expression level of miR-146a in cartilage tissue and PBMCs was significantly higher in OA patients than in non-OA healthy controls. Due to the limitations of this study, more research is needed to confirm these results in the future.
Trial Registration:
retrospectively registered.
