Vol.22 No.3

Original Article

Changes in microRNA expression in peripheral mononuclear cells according to the progression of osteoarthritis

Authors

Atsushi Okuhara¹ , Tomoyuki Nakasa¹ , Hayatoshi Shibuya¹ , Takuya Niimoto¹ , Nobuo Adachi¹ , Masataka Deie¹ , Mitsuo Ochi¹

Received:

12 May 2011

Accepted:

12 September 2011

Published online:

18 October 2011

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of noncoding RNAs that play an important role in human diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). The objective of this study was to investigate the expression patterns of miRNAs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of OA patients. PBMCs were isolated from 36 patients with OA, 6 RA patients, and 36 healthy controls. The expression patterns of miR-146a, 155, 181a, and 223 in PBMCs were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). We investigated the expression patterns of the miRNAs in OA progression, and their relationships with the parameters of age, body mass index (BMI), the femorotibial angle (FTA), and serum keratan sulfate (KS). The relative expression levels of miR-146a, 155, 181a, and 223 in the OA patients were significantly higher than those found in healthy controls. In the early stages of OA, miR-146a and 223 expressions were significantly higher than they were at later stages. There was a significant correlation between the expression of miR-223 and KS. This study demonstrated that high expression levels of miR-146a, 155, 181a, and 223 in the PBMCs of OA patients might be related to the pathogenesis of OA. This evidence could lead to the elucidation of the mechanism underlying OA pathogenesis and hence to a novel therapeutic strategy for OA.

Key words

MicroRNAs - Osteoarthritis - Mononuclear cell