Exercise promotes osteogenic differentiation by activating the long non-coding RNA H19/microRNA-149 axis

Area of Science:

• Bone Biology and Exercise Physiology
• Molecular Mechanisms of Osteogenesis

Background:

• Childhood and adolescent physical activity is vital for bone development, increasing bone density and peak bone mass.
• Exercise stimulates bone formation through enhanced bone development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of exercise on bone formation in growing mice.
• To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, focusing on the lncRNA H19/miR-149 axis.

Main Methods:

• Growing mice were divided into control and treadmill exercise groups.
• Micro-CT scanning, immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and Western Blot were employed.
• Bioinformatics analysis identified potential targets of long non-coding RNA H19 (lncRNA H19).

Main Results:

• Treadmill exercise significantly increased bone mineral density, bone volume, and trabecular number in mouse femurs.
• Inhibition of lncRNA H19 upregulated miR-149 and suppressed osteogenic differentiation markers.
• lncRNA H19 knockdown downregulated autophagy markers, indicating a role in regulating osteogenic processes.

Conclusions:

• Moderate treadmill exercise effectively stimulates bone formation, enhancing bone density and volume in growing mice.
• The lncRNA H19/miR-149 axis is a key regulator of osteogenic differentiation.
• Exercise-induced bone benefits are mediated by molecular pathways involving lncRNA H19.