circRNA-ZCCHC14 affects the chondrogenic differentiation ability of peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Daohong Zhao1, Hong Chen2, Jia Zhong3

  • 1Department of Orthopaedics, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, China. 381454239@qq.com.

Scientific Reports
|February 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Circular RNA ZCCHC14 promotes osteoarthritis progression by inhibiting miR-181a and GREM1, impairing chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Orthopedics

Background:

  • Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease where circular RNAs (circRNAs) are implicated in its progression.
  • Understanding the specific mechanisms of circRNAs in OA pathogenesis is crucial for developing targeted therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role and mechanism of circRNA-ZCCHC14 in osteoarthritis (OA).
  • To investigate the regulatory pathway involving circRNA-ZCCHC14, miR-181a, and GREM1 in chondrogenesis.

Main Methods:

  • Construction of OA animal and cell models, collection of clinical samples.
  • RT-qPCR for gene expression analysis, Western blotting for protein analysis.
  • Alcian blue staining for chondrogenic differentiation, dual-luciferase reporter assays for target validation.

Main Results:

  • CircRNA-ZCCHC14 was upregulated in OA patient samples and models.
  • Knockdown of circRNA-ZCCHC14 enhanced chondrogenic differentiation of peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PBMSCs).
  • CircRNA-ZCCHC14 targets miR-181a, which in turn targets GREM1; GREM1 and BMP2 showed antagonistic effects on chondrogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • CircRNA-ZCCHC14 promotes OA by inhibiting miR-181a and consequently upregulating GREM1.
  • This pathway negatively impacts the chondrogenic differentiation of PBMSCs, highlighting circRNA-ZCCHC14 as a potential therapeutic target in OA.