Long noncoding RNA AK039312 and AK079370 inhibits bone formation via miR-199b-5p.

Osteoporosis caused by aging and menopause had become an emerging threat to human health. The reduction of osteoblast differentiation has been considered to be an essential cause of osteoporosis. Osteoblast differentiation could be regulated by LncRNAs, and increasing evidences have proved that LncRNAs may be adopted as potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis. However, reports on rescue effects of LncRNAs in vivo are relatively limited. In this study, two LncRNAs (AK039312 and AK079370) were screened as osteogenic related LncRNAs. Both AK039312 and AK079370 could inhibit osteoblast differentiation and bone formation through suppressing osteogenic transcription factors. This inhibitory effect was achieved via binding and sequestering miR-199b-5p, and enhanced GSK-3ß which further inhibited wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Moreover, the siRNAs of AK039312 and AK079370 significantly alleviated postmenopausal osteoporosis, and the combination of si-AK039312 and si-AK079370 was more efficient than applying one si-LncRNA alone. This study has provided new insights for the therapy of osteoporosis.

Deficiency of Macf1 in osterix expressing cells decreases bone formation by Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 pathway.

Microtubule actin cross-linking factor 1 (Macf1) is a spectraplakin family member known to regulate cytoskeletal dynamics, cell migration, neuronal growth and cell signal transduction. We previously demonstrated that knockdown of Macf1 inhibited the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cell line. However, whether Macf1 could regulate bone formation in vivo is unclear. To study the function and mechanism of Macf1 in bone formation and osteogenic differentiation, we established osteoblast-specific Osterix (Osx) promoter-driven Macf1 conditional knockout mice (Macf1f/f Osx-Cre). The Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice displayed delayed ossification and decreased bone mass. Morphological and mechanical studies showed deteriorated trabecular microarchitecture and impaired biomechanical strength of femur in Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice. In addition, the differentiation of primary osteoblasts isolated from calvaria was inhibited in Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice. Deficiency of Macf1 in primary osteoblasts inhibited the expression of osteogenic marker genes (Col1, Runx2 and Alp) and the number of mineralized nodules. Furthermore, deficiency of Macf1 attenuated Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 signalling in primary osteoblasts of Macf1f/f Osx-Cre mice. Together, these results indicated that Macf1 plays a significant role in bone formation and osteoblast differentiation by regulating Bmp2/Smad/Runx2 pathway, suggesting that Macf1 might be a therapeutic target for bone disease.

Recombinant Irisin Prevents the Reduction of Osteoblast Differentiation Induced by Stimulated Microgravity through Increasing ß-Catenin Expression.

Background: Irisin, a novel exercise-induced myokine, was shown to mediate beneficial effects of exercise in osteoporosis. Microgravity is a major threat to bone homeostasis of astronauts during long-term spaceflight, which results in decreased bone formation. Methods: The hind-limb unloading mice model and a random position machine are respectively used to simulate microgravity in vivo and in vitro. Results: We demonstrate that not only are bone formation and osteoblast differentiation decreased, but the expression of fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (Fdnc5; irisin precursor) is also downregulated under simulated microgravity. Moreover, a lower dose of recombinant irisin (r-irisin) (1 nM) promotes osteogenic marker gene (alkaline phosphatase (Alp), collagen type 1 alpha-1(ColIα1)) expressions, ALP activity, and calcium deposition in primary osteoblasts, with no significant effect on osteoblast proliferation. Furthermore, r-irisin could recover the decrease in osteoblast differentiation induced by simulated microgravity. We also find that r-irisin increases ß-catenin expression and partly neutralizes the decrease in ß-catenin expression induced by simulated microgravity. In addition, ß-catenin overexpression could also in part attenuate osteoblast differentiation reduction induced by simulated microgravity. Conclusions: The present study is the first to show that r-irisin positively regulates osteoblast differentiation under simulated microgravity through increasing ß-catenin expression, which may reveal a novel mechanism, and it provides a prevention strategy for bone loss and muscle atrophy induced by microgravity.

MACF1, versatility in tissue-specific function and in human disease.

Spectraplakins are a family of evolutionarily conserved gigantic proteins and play critical roles in many cytoskeleton-related processes. Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1) is one of the most versatile spectraplakin with multiple isoforms. As a broadly expressed mammalian spectraplakin, MACF1 is important in maintaining normal functions of many tissues. The loss-of-function studies using knockout mouse models reveal the pivotal roles of MACF1 in embryo development, skin integrity maintenance, neural development, bone formation, and colonic paracellular permeability. Mutation in the human MACF1 gene causes a novel myopathy genetic disease. In addition, abnormal expression of MACF1 is associated with schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, cancer and osteoporosis. This demonstrates the crucial roles of MACF1 in physiology and pathology. Here, we review the research advances of MACF1's roles in specific tissue and in human diseases, providing the perspectives of MACF1 for future studies.

A novel long noncoding RNA AK016739 inhibits osteoblast differentiation and bone formation.

The incidence of postmenopausal osteoporosis research 50% in middle-aged and older women, however, effects of existing therapy are not ideal. Emerging evidence have proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) was correlated with multiple physiological and pathology processes including development, carcinogenesis, and osteogenesis. However, reports on lncRNAs regulating bone formation were relatively limited. In this study, we screened osteogenic lncRNAs through mRNA/lncRNA microarray combined with gene coexpression analysis. The biological function of the screened lncRNA was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. The effects of the lncRNA on osteogenic transcription factors were also evaluated. We identified AK016739, which was correlated with osteogenic differentiation and enriched in skeletal tissues of mice. The expression levels of AK016739 in bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells were increased with age and negatively correlated with osteogenic differentiation marker genes. Experiments showed that AK016739 inhibited osteoblast differentiation, and in vivo inhibition of AK016739 by its small interfering RNA would rescue bone formation in ovariectomized osteoporosis mice model. In addition, AK016739 suppressed both expression levels and activities of osteogenic transcription factors. This newly identified lncRNA AK016739 has revealed a new mechanism of osteogenic differentiation and provided new targets for treatment of skeletal disorders.

Silencing of lncRNA AK045490 Promotes Osteoblast Differentiation and Bone Formation via ß-Catenin/TCF1/Runx2 Signaling Axis.

Osteoporosis, a disease characterized by both loss of bone mass and structural deterioration of bone, is the most common reason for a broken bone among the elderly. It is known that the attenuated differentiation ability of osteogenic cells has been regarded as one of the greatest contributors to age-related bone formation reduction. However, the effects of current therapies are still unsatisfactory. In this study we identify a novel long noncoding RNA AK045490 which is correlated with osteogenic differentiation and enriched in skeletal tissues of mice. In vitro analysis of bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) showed that AK045490 inhibited osteoblast differentiation. In vivo inhibition of AK045490 by its small interfering RNA rescued bone formation in ovariectomized osteoporosis mice model. Mechanistically, AK045490 inhibited the nuclear translocation of ß-catenin and downregulated the expression of TCF1, LEF1, and Runx2. The results suggest that Lnc-AK045490 suppresses ß-catenin/TCF1/Runx2 signaling and inhibits osteoblast differentiation and bone formation, providing a novel mechanism of osteogenic differentiation and a potential drug target for osteoporosis.

Mechanical unloading reduces microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 expression to inhibit ß-catenin signaling and osteoblast proliferation.

Mechanical unloading was considered a major threat to bone homeostasis, and has been shown to decrease osteoblast proliferation although the underlying mechanism is unclear. Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1) is a cytoskeletal protein that regulates cellular processes and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, an essential signaling pathway for osteoblasts. However, the relationship between MACF1 expression and mechanical unloading, and the function and the associated mechanisms of MACF1 in regulating osteoblast proliferation are unclear. This study investigated effects of mechanical unloading on MACF1 expression levels in cultured MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells and in femurs of mice with hind limb unloading; and it also examined the role and potential action mechanisms of MACF1 in osteoblast proliferation in MACF1-knockdown, overexpressed or control MC3T3-E1 cells treated with or without the mechanical unloading condition. Results showed that the mechanical unloading condition inhibited osteoblast proliferation and MACF1 expression in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells and mouse femurs. MACF1 knockdown decreased osteoblast proliferation, while MACF1 overexpression increased it. The inhibitory effect of mechanical unloading on osteoblast proliferation also changed with MACF1 expression levels. Furthermore, MACF1 was found to enhance ß-catenin expression and activity, and mechanical unloading decreased ß-catenin expression through MACF1. Moreover, ß-catenin was found an important regulator of osteoblast proliferation, as its preservation by treatment with its agonist lithium attenuated the inhibitory effects of MACF1-knockdown or mechanical unloading on osteoblast proliferation. Taken together, mechanical unloading decreases MACF1 expression, and MACF1 up-regulates osteoblast proliferation through enhancing ß-catenin signaling. This study has thus provided a mechanism for mechanical unloading-induced inhibited osteoblast proliferation.

Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 promotes osteoblast differentiation by promoting ß-catenin/TCF1/Runx2 signaling axis.

Osteoblast differentiation is a multistep process delicately regulated by many factors, including cytoskeletal dynamics and signaling pathways. Microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1), a key cytoskeletal linker, has been shown to play key roles in signal transduction and in diverse cellular processes; however, its role in regulating osteoblast differentiation is still needed to be elucidated. To further uncover the functions and mechanisms of action of MACF1 in osteoblast differentiation, we examined effects of MACF1 knockdown (MACF1-KD) in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells on their osteoblast differentiation and associated molecular mechanisms. The results showed that knockdown of MACF1 significantly suppressed mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells, down-regulated the expression of key osteogenic genes alkaline phosphatase (ALP), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and type I collagen α1 (Col Iα1). Knockdown of MACF1 dramatically reduced the nuclear translocation of ß-catenin, decreased the transcriptional activation of T cell factor 1 (TCF1), and down-regulated the expression of TCF1, lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1), and Runx2, a target gene of ß-catenin/TCF1. In addition, MACF1-KD increased the active level of glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß), which is a key regulator for ß-catenin signal transduction. Moreover, the reduction of nuclear ß-catenin amount and decreased expression of TCF1 and Runx2 were significantly reversed in MACF1-KD cells when treated with lithium chloride, an agonist for ß-catenin by inhibiting GSK-3ß activity. Taken together, these findings suggest that knockdown of MACF1 in osteoblastic cells inhibits osteoblast differentiation through suppressing the ß-catenin/TCF1-Runx2 axis. Thus, a novel role of MACF1 in and a new mechanistic insight of osteoblast differentiation are uncovered.

Structure-activity relationship of novel low-generation dendrimers for gene delivery.

Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies are very critical to design ideal gene vectors for gene delivery. However, It is difficult to obtain SAR information of low-generation dendrimers due to the lack of easy structural modification ways. Here, we synthesized a novel family of rigid aromatic backbone-based low-generation polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers. According to the number of primary amines, they were divided into two types: four-amine-containing PAMAM (DL1-DL5) and eight-amine-containing PAMAM (DL6-DL10). Due to the introduction of a rigid aromatic backbone, the low-generation PAMAM could be modified easier by different hydrophobic aliphatic chains. Several assays were used to study the interactions of the PAMAM dendrimers with plasmid DNA, and the results revealed that they not only had good DNA binding ability but also could efficiently condense DNA into spherical-shaped nanoparticles with suitable sizes and zeta potentials. The SAR studies indicated that the gene-transfection efficiency of the synthesized materials depended on not only the structure of their hydrophobic chains but also the number of primary amines. It was found that four-amine-containing PAMAM prepared from oleylamine (DL5) gave the best transfection efficiency, which was 3 times higher than that of lipofectamine 2000 in HEK293 cells. The cellular uptake mechanism mediated by DL5 was further investigated, and the results indicated that DL5/DNA complexes entered the cells mainly via caveolae and clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In addition, these low-generation PAMAMs modified with a single hydrophobic tail showed lower toxicity than lipofectamine 2000 in MC3T3-E1, MG63, HeLa, and HEK293 cells. These results reveal that such a type of low-generation polyamidoamines might be promising non-viral gene vectors, and also give us clues for the design of safe and high-efficiency gene vectors.

Structure Prediction: New Insights into Decrypting Long Noncoding RNAs.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which form a diverse class of RNAs, remain the least understood type of noncoding RNAs in terms of their nature and identification. Emerging evidence has revealed that a small number of newly discovered lncRNAs perform important and complex biological functions such as dosage compensation, chromatin regulation, genomic imprinting, and nuclear organization. However, understanding the wide range of functions of lncRNAs related to various processes of cellular networks remains a great experimental challenge. Structural versatility is critical for RNAs to perform various functions and provides new insights into probing the functions of lncRNAs. In recent years, the computational method of RNA structure prediction has been developed to analyze the structure of lncRNAs. This novel methodology has provided basic but indispensable information for the rapid, large-scale and in-depth research of lncRNAs. This review focuses on mainstream RNA structure prediction methods at the secondary and tertiary levels to offer an additional approach to investigating the functions of lncRNAs.

Physiological effects of microgravity on bone cells.

Life on Earth developed under the influence of normal gravity (1g). With evidence from previous studies, scientists have suggested that normal physiological processes, such as the functional integrity of muscles and bone mass, can be affected by microgravity during spaceflight. During the life span, bone not only develops as a structure designed specifically for mechanical tasks but also adapts for efficiency. The lack of weight-bearing forces makes microgravity an ideal physical stimulus to evaluate bone cell responses. One of the most serious problems induced by long-term weightlessness is bone mineral loss. Results from in vitro studies that entailed the use of bone cells in spaceflights showed modification in cell attachment structures and cytoskeletal reorganization, which may be involved in bone loss. Humans exposed to microgravity conditions experience various physiological changes, including loss of bone mass, muscle deterioration, and immunodeficiency. In vitro models can be used to extract valuable information about changes in mechanical stress to ultimately identify the different pathways of mechanotransduction in bone cells. Despite many in vivo and in vitro studies under both real microgravity and simulated conditions, the mechanism of bone loss is still not well defined. The objective of this review is to summarize the recent research on bone cells under microgravity conditions based on advances in the field.

Sclerostin inhibition in rare bone diseases: Molecular understanding and therapeutic perspectives.

Sclerostin emerges as a novel target for bone anabolic therapy in bone diseases. Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) and X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) are rare bone diseases in which therapeutic potential of sclerostin inhibition cannot be ignored. In OI, genetic/pharmacologic sclerostin inhibition promoted bone formation of mice, but responses varied by genotype and age. Serum sclerostin levels were higher in young OI-I patients, while lower in adult OI-I/III/IV. It's worth investigating whether therapeutic response of OI to sclerostin inhibition could be clinically predicted by genotype and age. In XLH, preclinical/clinical data suggested factors other than identified FGF23 contributing to XLH. Higher levels of circulating sclerostin were detected in XLH. Sclerostin inhibition promoted bone formation in Hyp mice, while restored phosphate homeostasis in age-/gender-dependent manner. The role of sclerostin in regulating phosphate metabolism deserves investigation. Sclerostin/FGF23 levels of XLH patients with/without response to FGF23-antibody warrants study to develop precise sclerostin/FGF23 inhibition strategy or synergistic/additive strategy. Notably, OI patients were associated with cardiovascular abnormalities, so were XLH patients receiving conventional therapy. Targeting sclerostin loop3 promoted bone formation without cardiovascular risks. Further, blockade of sclerostin loop3-LRP4 interaction while preserving sclerostin loop2-ApoER2 interaction could be a potential precise sclerostin inhibition strategy for OI and XLH with cardiovascular safety. The Translational Potential of this Article. Preclinical data on the molecular understanding of sclerostin inhibition in OI and therapeutic efficacy in mouse models of different genotypes, as well as clinical data on serum sclerostin levels in patients with different phenotypes of OI, were reviewed and discussed. Translationally, it would facilitate to develop clinical prediction strategies (e.g. based on genotype and age, not just phenotype) for OI patients responsive to sclerostin inhibition. Both preclinical and clinical data suggested sclerostin as another factor contributing to XLH, in addition to the identified FGF23. The molecular understanding and therapeutic effects of sclerostin inhibition on both promoting bone anabolism and improving phosphate homostasis in Hyp mice were reviewed and discussed. Translationaly, it would facilitate the development of precise sclerostin/FGF23 inhibition strategy or synergistic/additive strategy for the treatment of XLH. Cardiovascular risk could not be ruled out during sclerostin inhibition treatment, especially for OI and XLH patients with cardiovascular diseases history and cardiovascular abnormalities. Studies on the role of sclerostin in inhiting bone formation and protecting cardiovascular system were reviewed and discussed. Translationaly, blockade of sclerostin loop3-LRP4 interaction while preserving sclerostin loop2-ApoER2 interaction could be a potential precise sclerostin inhibition strategy for OI and XLH with cardiovascular safety.

The role of sclerostin in lipid and glucose metabolism disorders.

Lipid and glucose metabolism are critical for human activities, and their disorders can cause diabetes and obesity, two prevalent metabolic diseases. Studies suggest that the bone involved in lipid and glucose metabolism is emerging as an endocrine organ that regulates systemic metabolism through bone-derived molecules. Sclerostin, a protein mainly produced by osteocytes, has been therapeutically targeted by antibodies for treating osteoporosis owing to its ability to inhibit bone formation. Moreover, recent evidence indicates that sclerostin plays a role in lipid and glucose metabolism disorders. Although the effects of sclerostin on bone have been extensively examined and reviewed, its effects on systemic metabolism have not yet been well summarized. In this paper, we provide a systemic review of the effects of sclerostin on lipid and glucose metabolism based on in vitro and in vivo evidence, summarize the research progress on sclerostin, and prospect its potential manipulation for obesity and diabetes treatment.

A Rapid Protocol for Direct Isolation of Osteoclast Lineage Cells from Mouse Bone Marrow.

Osteoclast lineage cells (OLCs), including osteoclast precursors (OCPs) and mature osteoclasts (MOCs), participate in bone remodeling and mediate pathologic bone loss. Thus, it is essential to obtain OLCs for exploring their molecular features in both physiological and pathological conditions in vivo. However, the conventional protocols for obtaining OLCs ex vivo are not only time-consuming, but also unable to capture the cellular status of OLCs in vivo. In addition, the current antibody-based isolation approaches, such as fluorescence-/ magnetic-activated cell sorting, are not able to obtain pure osteoclasts because no unique surface antigen for osteoclasts has been identified. Here, we develop a rapid protocol for directly isolating OLCs from mouse bone marrow through magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). This protocol can rapidly enrich OCPs and MOCs, respectively, depending on the expression of the distinctive surface markers at their differentiation stages. It is optimized to isolate OLCs from four mice concurrently, of which sorting procedure could be completed within ~5 h.

Pyro-catalysis for tooth whitening via oral temperature fluctuation.

Tooth whitening has recently become one of the most popular aesthetic dentistry procedures. Beyond classic hydrogen peroxide-based whitening agents, photo-catalysts and piezo-catalysts have been demonstrated for non-destructive on-demand tooth whitening. However, their usage has been challenged due to the relatively limited physical stimuli of light irradiation and ultrasonic mechanical vibration. To address this challenge, we report here a non-destructive and convenient tooth whitening strategy based on the pyro-catalysis effect, realized via ubiquitous oral motion-induced temperature fluctuations. Degradation of organic dyes via pyro-catalysis is performed under cooling/heating cycling to simulate natural temperature fluctuations associated with intake and speech. Teeth stained by habitual beverages and flavorings can be whitened by the pyroelectric particles-embedded hydrogel under a small surrounding temperature fluctuation. Furthermore, the pyro-catalysis-based tooth whitening procedure exhibits a therapeutic biosafety and sustainability. In view of the exemplary demonstration, the most prevalent oral temperature fluctuation will enable the pyro-catalysis-based tooth whitening strategy to have tremendous potential for practical applications.

MACF1 promotes osteoblastic cell migration by regulating MAP1B through the GSK3beta/TCF7 pathway.

RATIONALE: The migration of osteoblastic cells to bone formation surface is an essential step for bone development and growth. However, whether the migration capacity of osteoblastic cells is compromised during osteoporosis occurrence and how it contributes to bone formation reduction remain unexplored so far. In this work, we found, as a positive regulator of cell migration, microtubule actin crosslinking factor 1 (MACF1) enhanced osteoblastic cells migration. We also examined whether MACF1 could facilitate osteoblastic cells' migration to bone formation surface to promote bone formation through another cytoskeleton protein, microtubule associated protein 1 (MAP1B). METHODS: Preosteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 with different MACF1 level was used for in vitro and in vivo cell migration assay; Primary cortical bone derived mesenchymal stem cells (C-MSCs) from bone tissue of MACF1 conditional knock out (cKO) mice was used for in vitro cell migration assay. Cell migration ability in vitro was evaluated by wound healing assay and transwell assay and in vivo by bone marrow cavity injection. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used for knocking down Map1b in MC3T3-E1 cell. Lithium chloride (LiCl) and Wortmannin (Wort) were used for inhibiting/activating GSK3ß pathway activity. Luciferase report assay was performed for detection of transcriptional activity of TCF7 for Map1b; Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) was engaged for the binding of TCF7 to Map1b promoter region. RESULTS: We found MACF1 enhanced MC3T3-E1 cell and C-MSCs migration in vitro through promoting microtubule (MT) stability and dynamics, and increased the injected MC3T3-E1 cell number on bone formation surface, which indicated a promoted bone formation. We further authenticated that MAP1B had a similar function to MACF1 and was regulated by MACF1 in osteogenic cell, and silencing map1b repressed MC3T3-E1 cell migration in vitro. Mechanistically, by adopting MC3T3-E1 cell with different MACF1 level or treated with LiCl/Wort, we discovered that MACF1 decreased the levels of 1265 threonine phosphorylated MAP1B (p[T1265] MAP1B) through inhibiting GSK3ß activity. Additionally, total MAP1B mRNA expression level was upregulated by MACF1 through strengthening the binding of TCF7 to the map1b promoter sequence. CONCLUSION: Our study uncovered a novel role of MACF1 in bone formation and MAP1B regulation, which suggested that MACF1 could be a potential therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Drug discovery of sclerostin inhibitors.

Sclerostin, a protein secreted from osteocytes, negatively regulates the WNT signaling pathway by binding to the LRP5/6 co-receptors and further inhibits bone formation and promotes bone resorption. Sclerostin contributes to musculoskeletal system-related diseases, making it a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of WNT-related bone diseases. Additionally, emerging evidence indicates that sclerostin contributes to the development of cancers, obesity, and diabetes, suggesting that it may be a promising therapeutic target for these diseases. Notably, cardiovascular diseases are related to the protective role of sclerostin. In this review, we summarize three distinct types of inhibitors targeting sclerostin, monoclonal antibodies, aptamers, and small-molecule inhibitors, from which monoclonal antibodies have been developed. As the first-in-class sclerostin inhibitor approved by the U.S. FDA, the monoclonal antibody romosozumab has demonstrated excellent effectiveness in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis; however, it conferred high cardiovascular risk in clinical trials. Furthermore, romosozumab could only be administered by injection, which may cause compliance issues for patients who prefer oral therapy. Considering these above safety and compliance concerns, we therefore present relevant discussion and offer perspectives on the development of next-generation sclerostin inhibitors by following several ways, such as concomitant medication, artificial intelligence-based strategy, druggable modification, and bispecific inhibitors strategy.

Long noncoding RNA Lnc-DIF inhibits bone formation by sequestering miR-489-3p.

Osteoporosis has become a high incident bone disease along with the aging of human population. Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) play an important role in osteoporosis incidence. In this study, we screened out an LncRNA negatively correlated with osteoblast differentiation, which was therefore named Lnc-DIF (differentiation inhibiting factor). Functional analysis proved that Lnc-DIF inhibited bone formation. A special structure containing multiple 53 nucleotide repeats was found in the trailing end of Lnc-DIF. Our study suggested that this repeat sequence could sequester multiple miR-489-3p and inhibit bone formation through miR-489-3p/SMAD2 axis. Moreover, siRNA of Lnc-DIF would rescue bone formation in both aging and ovariectomized osteoporosis mice. This study revealed a kind of LncRNA that could function as a sponge and regulate multiple miRNAs. RNA therapy techniques that target these LncRNAs could manipulate its downstream miRNA-target pathway with significantly higher efficiency and specificity. This provided potential therapeutic insight for RNA-based therapy for osteoporosis.

MiR-138-5p Targets MACF1 to Aggravate Aging-related Bone Loss.

Senile osteoporosis is one of the major health problems in an aging society. Decreased bone formation due to osteoblast dysfunction may be one of the causes of aging-related bone loss. With increasing evidence suggesting that multiple microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in osteoblast function, the relationship between miRNAs and senile osteoporosis has become a popular research topic. Previously, we confirmed that mechanoresponsive miR-138-5p negatively regulated bone anabolic action. In this study, the miR-138-5p level was found to be negatively correlated with BMD and osteogenic markers in bone specimens of senile osteoporotic patients by bioinformatic analysis and experimental verification. Furthermore, high miR-138-5p levels aggravated the decrease of aged osteoblast differentiation in vitro and led to worse bone loss in aged osteoblastic miR-138-5p transgenic mice in vivo. We also previously identified that the target of miR-138-5p, microtubule actin cross-linking factor 1 (MACF1), could attenuate senile osteoporosis. Here, miR-138-5p was demonstrated to regulate aged osteoblast differentiation by targeting MACF1. Finally, the therapeutic inhibition of miR-138-5p counteracted the decrease in bone formation and aging-related bone loss in aged mice. Overall, our results highlight the crucial roles and the molecular mechanism of miR-138-5p in aging-related bone loss and may provide a powerful therapeutic target for ameliorating senile osteoporosis.

Therapeutic aptamer targeting sclerostin loop3 for promoting bone formation without increasing cardiovascular risk in osteogenesis imperfecta mice.

Rationale: Sclerostin inhibition demonstrated bone anabolic potential in osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) mice, whereas humanized therapeutic sclerostin antibody romosozumab for postmenopausal osteoporosis imposed clinically severe cardiac ischemic events. Therefore, it is desirable to develop the next generation sclerostin inhibitors to promote bone formation without increasing cardiovascular risk for OI. Methods and Results: Our data showed that sclerostin suppressed inflammatory responses, prevented aortic aneurysm (AA) and atherosclerosis progression in hSOSTki.Col1a2+/G610C.ApoE-/- mice. Either loop2&3 deficiency or inhibition attenuated sclerostin's suppressive effects on expression of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in vitro, whilst loop3 deficiency maintained the protective effect of sclerostin on cardiovascular system both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, loop3 was critical for sclerostin's antagonistic effect on bone formation in Col1a2+/G610C mice. Accordingly, a sclerostin loop3-specific aptamer aptscl56 was identified by our lab. It could recognize both recombinant sclerostin and sclerostin in the serum of OI patients via targeting loop3. PEG40k conjugated aptscl56 (Apc001PE) demonstrated to promote bone formation, increase bone mass and improve bone microarchitecture integrity in Col1a2+/G610C mice via targeting loop3, while did not show influence in inflammatory response, AA and atherosclerosis progression in Col1a2+/G610C.ApoE-/- mice with Angiotensin II infusion. Further, Apc001PE had no influence in the protective effect of sclerostin on cardiovascular system in hSOSTki.Col1a2+/G610C.ApoE-/- mice, while it inhibited the antagonistic effect of sclerostin on bone formation in hSOSTki.Col1a2+/G610C mice via targeting loop3. Apc001PE was non-toxic to healthy rodents, even at ultrahigh dose. Apc001PE for OI was granted orphan drug designation by US-FDA in 2019 (DRU-2019-6966). Conclusion: Sclerostin loop3-specific aptamer Apc001PE promoted bone formation without increasing cardiovascular risk in OI mice.