miR-21-5p targets SKP2 to reduce osteoclastogenesis in a mouse model of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis results from an imbalance between bone formation and bone resorption. Traditional drugs for treating osteoporosis are associated with serious side effects, and thus, new treatment methods are required. This study investigated the role of differentially expressed microRNAs during osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast activity during osteoarthritis as well as the associated underlying mechanisms. We used a microarray to screen microRNAs that decreased in the process of osteoclast differentiation and verified miR-21-5p to decrease significantly using RT-qPCR. In follow-up experiments, we found that miR-21-5p targets SKP2 to regulate osteoclast differentiation. In vivo, ovariectomized mice were used to simulate perimenopausal osteoporosis induced by estrogen deficiency, and miR-21-5p treatment inhibited bone resorption and maintained bone cortex and trabecular structure. These results suggest that miR-21-5p is a new therapeutic target for osteoporosis.

Sonication-Free Dispersion of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for High-Sorption-Capacity Aerogel Fabrication.

Homogenously dispersing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in solvents has been one critical step towards exploiting their exceptional properties in high-performance components. However, the solubility of SWNTs is severely limited by the inert tube surfaces and strong tube-tube van der Waals attractions. Starting with carbon nanotubides, i.e., negatively charged SWNTs reduced by alkali metals, we herein propose a sonication-free approach to prepare an aqueous dispersion of SWNTs. The approach combines the spontaneous dissolution of nanotubides in polar aprotic solvents with polyvinylpyrrolidone wrapping and dialysis in deionized H2O, which results in well-dispersed, neutralized SWNTs. The gelation of concentrated SWNT dispersion leads to the formation of hydrogels, which is subsequently transformed into SWNT aerogels through lyophilization. The prepared SWNT aerogels exhibit high-mass-sorption capacities for organic solvent absorption, paving the way towards harvesting the extraordinary properties of SWNTs.

MicroRNA-25-3p regulates osteoclasts through nuclear factor I X.

Osteoporosis is a bone metabolic disease, characterized by loss of bone density leading to fractures. Its incidence increases with age and affects patient quality of life. Although osteoclasts play a significant role in osteoporosis, their underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we found that microRNA (miR)-25-3p negatively regulates osteoclast function through nuclear factor I X (NFIX). Overexpression of NFIX promoted osteoclast proliferation and increased the expression of the osteoclast differentiation and activity markers tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and cathepsin K. MiR-25-3p transfection inhibited NFIX expression, which in turn inhibited osteoclast proliferation. Collectively, our results suggest that miR-25-3p promotes osteoclast activity by regulating the expression of NFIX. Therefore, targeting miR-25-3p in osteoclasts could be a promising strategy for treating skeletal disorders involving reduced bone formation.

CircFAT1 sponges miR-375 to promote the expression of Yes-associated protein 1 in osteosarcoma cells.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need to identify new molecular targets for treatment of osteosarcoma. Circular RNAs are a class of endogenous RNAs that are extensively found in mammalian cells and exert critical functions in the regulation of gene expression, but in osteosarcoma the underlying molecular mechanism of circular RNAs remain poorly understood. Here we assessed the tumorigenesis properties of a circular RNA, circFAT1 in osteosarcoma. METHODS: The effects of circFAT1/miR-375/YAP1 was evaluated on human osteosarcoma cells growth, apoptosis, migration, invasion and tumorigenesis. Signaling pathways were analyzed by western blotting, qRT-PCR, fluorescence in situ hybridization, chromogenic in situ hybridization,RNA Binding Protein Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. The consequence of circFAT1 short hairpin RNA combined or not with miR-375 sponge was evaluated in mice bearing 143B xenografts on tumor growth. RESULTS: In this study, we observed significant upregulation of circFAT1 originating from exon 2 of the FAT1 gene in human osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines. Inhibition of circFAT1 effectively prevented the migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis of osteosarcoma cells in vitro and repressed osteosarcoma growth in vivo. Mechanistic studies revealed that circFAT1 contains a binding site for the microRNA-375 (miR-375) and can abundantly sponge miR-375 to upregulate the expression of Yes-associated protein 1. Moreover, inhibition of miR-375 reversed attenuation of cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, which was induced by circFAT1 knockdown, and therefore promoted tumorigenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate a novel function of circFAT1 in tumorigenesis and suggest a new therapeutic target for the treatment of osteosarcoma.

RuCo/ZrO2 Tandem Catalysts with Photothermal Confinement Effect for Enhanced CO2 Methanation.

Photothermal CO2 methanation reaction represents a promising strategy for addressing CO2-related environmental issues. The presence of efficient tandem catalytic sites with a localized high-temperature is an effective pathway to enhance the performance of CO2 methanation. Here the bimetallic RuCo nanoparticles anchored on ZrO2 fiber cotton (RuCo/ZrO2) as a photothermal catalyst for CO2 methanation are prepared. A significant photothermal CO2 methanation performance with optimal CH4 selectivity (99%) and rate (169.93 mmol gcat -1 h-1) is achieved. The photothermal energy of the RuCo bimetallic nanoparticles, confined by the infrared insulation and low thermal conductivity of the ZrO2 fiber cotton (ZrO2 FC), provides a localized high-temperature. In situ spectroscopic experiments on RuCo/ZrO2, Ru/ZrO2, and Co/ZrO2 indicate that the construction of tandem catalytic sites, where the Co site favors CO2 conversion to CO while incorporating Ru enhances CO* adsorption for subsequent hydrogenation, results in a higher selectivity toward CH4. This work opens a new insight into designing tandem catalysts with a photothermal confinement effect in CO2 methanation reaction.

CircFNDC3B regulates osteoarthritis and oxidative stress by targeting miR-525-5p/HO-1 axis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic degenerative joint disease associated with a variety of risk factors including aging, genetics, obesity, and mechanical disturbance. This study aimed to elucidate the function of a newly discovered circular RNA (circRNA), circFNDC3B, in OA progression and its relationship with the NF-κB signaling pathway and oxidative stress. The circFNDC3B/miR-525-5p/HO-1 axis and its relationship with the NF-κB signaling pathway and oxidative stress were investigated and validated using fluorescence in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence analysis, luciferase reporter assays, pull-down assays, and reactive oxygen species analyses. The functions of circFNDC3B in OA was investigated in vitro and in vivo. These evaluations demonstrated that circFNDC3B promotes chondrocyte proliferation and protects the extracellular matrix (ECM) from degradation. We also revealed that circFNDC3B defends against oxidative stress in OA by regulating the circFNDC3B/miR-525-5p/HO-1 axis and the NF-κB signaling pathway. Further, we found that overexpression of circFNDC3B alleviated OA in a rabbit model. In summary, we identified a new circFNDC3B/miR-525-5p/HO-1 signaling pathway that may act to relieve OA by alleviating oxidative stress and regulating the NF-κB pathway, resulting in the protection of the ECM in human chondrocytes, highlighting it as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of OA.

Novel role of circRSU1 in the progression of osteoarthritis by adjusting oxidative stress.

Osteoarthritis (OA), characterized as an end-stage syndrome caused by risk factors accumulated with age, significantly impacts quality of life in the elderly. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are receiving increasing attention regarding their role in OA progression and development; however, their role in the regulation of age-induced and oxidative stress-related OA remains unclear. Methods: Herein, we explored oxidative stress in articular cartilage obtained from patients of different ages. The presence of circRSU1 was detected using RNA sequencing of H2O2-stimulated primary human articular chondrocytes (HCs), and validated in articular cartilage and HCs using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) staining. miR-93-5p and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8 (MAP3K8) were identified as interactive circRSU1 partners based on annotation and target prediction databases, and their associations were identified through dual-luciferase reporter analysis. The effect of the circRSU1-miR-93-5p-MAP3K8 axis on HCs was confirmed using western blot, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunofluorescence, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) analyses. CircRSU1 and its mutant were ectopically expressed in mice to assess their effects in destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) in mice. Results: We found a marked upregulation of circRSU1 in H2O2-treated HCs and OA articular cartilage from elderly individuals. circRSU1 was induced by IL-1ß and H2O2 stimulation, and it subsequently regulated oxidative stress-triggered inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) maintenance in HCs, by modulating the MEK/ERK1/2 and NF-κB cascades. Ectopic expression of circRSU1 in mouse joints promoted the production of ROS and loss of ECM, which was rescued by mutation of the mir-93-5p target sequence in circRSU1. Conclusion: We identified a circRSU1-miR-93-5p-MAP3K8 axis that modulates the progression of OA via oxidative stress regulation, which could serve as a potential target for OA therapy.

Circular RNA circRUNX1 promotes papillary thyroid cancer progression and metastasis by sponging MiR-296-3p and regulating DDHD2 expression.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has a continuously increasing incidence and imposes a heavy medical burden to individuals and society due to its high proportion of lymph node metastasis and recurrence in recent years. Circular RNAs, a class of noncoding RNAs, participate in the progression of many cancers, but the role of circRNAs in PTC is still rarely reported. In this study, circRNA deep sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed circRNAs in PTC. CircRUNX1 was selected for its high expression in PTC, and circRUNX1 silencing was directly associated with the week potential for migration, invasion and proliferation of PTC in vivo and in vitro. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was further used to confirm the cytoplasmic localization of circRUNX1, indicating the possible function of circRUNX1 as a ceRNAs in PTC progression through miRNA binding. MiR-296-3p was then confirmed to be regulated by circRUNX1 and to target DDHD domain containing 2 (DDHD2) by luciferase reporter assays. The strong antitumor effect of miR-296-3p and the tumor-promoting effect of DDHD2 were further investigated in PTC, indicating that circRUNX1 modulates PTC progression through the miR-296-3p/DDHD2 pathway. Overall, circRUNX1 plays an oncogenic role in PTC and provides a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for PTC progression.

circSPG21 protects against intervertebral disc disease by targeting miR-1197/ATP1B3.

The abnormal expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) is associated with numerous human diseases. This study investigated the mechanism by which circRNA acts as competitive endogenous RNA in the regulation of degenerative intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Decreased expression of circSPG21 was detected in degenerated nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), the function of circSPG21 in NPCs was explored and verified, and the downstream target of circSPG21 was investigated. The interaction between circSPG21 and miR-1197 and its target gene (ATP1B3) was studied by online database prediction and molecular biological verification. Finally, the circSPG21/miR-1197/ATP1B3 axis was verified in the mouse tail-looping model. The expression of circSPG21 in the nucleus pulposus in IVDD was directly related to an imbalance of anabolic and catabolic factors, which affected cell senescence. circSPG21 was found to play a role in human NPCs by acting as a sponge of miR-1197 and thereby affecting ATP1B3. The regulation of circSPG21 provides a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for IVDD.

Inhibition of intervertebral disc disease progression via the circPKNOX1-miR-370-3p-KIAA0355 axis.

The molecular mechanism underlying the development of intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is not completely understood. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a significant role in the occurrence and development of various diseases, and studies have shown that circPKNOX1 is involved in the compensatory response of extracellular matrix synthesis and secretion of the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. However, the mechanism through which circRNAs regulate IVDD progression remains unclear; therefore, in this study, we explored the significance of circPKNOX1 in IVDD. The expression of circRNAs in NP cells of normal and degenerative patients was detected using microarray analysis, and the role of circPKNOX1 in IVDD was confirmed using RT-qPCR. The interaction networks of circRNAs, miRNAs, and miRNA target genes were detected using bioinformatics analysis, RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization, and immunofluorescence analysis. We found that the expression of circPKNOX1 decreased in IVDD cells. The expression of circPKNOX1 in NP cells, observed using RT-qPCR and western blotting, was consistent with that observed using array screening. Overexpression of circPKNOX1 increased the expression of collagen II, aggrecan, and SOX9 and decreased that of ADAMTS4, ADAMTS-5, MMP3, and MMP13. We further demonstrated that circPKNOX1 played the role of a sponge by competitively binding miR-370-3p to reverse the inhibition of KIAA0355 expression. Our findings indicated that circPKNOX1 affected the progression of IVDD by regulating the expression of KIAA0355 via miR-370-3p. Therefore, circPKNOX1-based therapy may serve as an effective IVDD treatment strategy.

circCAMSAP1 promotes osteosarcoma progression and metastasis by sponging miR-145-5p and regulating FLI1 expression.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant bone tumor in adolescents. While chemotherapy combined with surgery can improve the prognosis of some patients, chemo-resistance is still a huge obstacle in osteosarcoma treatment. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in cancer progression and metastasis, but their specific role in osteosarcoma remains mostly undescribed. In this study, we performed circRNA deep sequencing and identified 88 distinct circRNAs from a human osteosarcoma cell lines group (143B, HOS, SJSA, and U2OS) and the human osteoblast hFOB 1.19 (control). We found that circCAMSAP1, also named hsa_circ_0004338, is significantly upregulated in human osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, and it is positively correlated with osteosarcoma development. Silencing of circCAMSAP1 effectively suppresses osteosarcoma cell growth, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, we validated that circCAMSAP1 functions in osteosarcoma tumorigenesis through a circCAMSAP1/miR-145-5p/friend leukemia virus integration 1 (FLI1) pathway. FLI1 promotes osteosarcoma tumorigenesis and miR-145-5p suppresses FLI translation. circCAMSAP1 directly sequesters miR-145-5p in the cytoplasm and inhibits its activity to suppress osteosarcoma tumorigenesis. Moreover, the regulatory role of circCAMSAP1 upregulation was examined and validated in rats. In summary, our findings provide evidence that circCAMSAP1 act as a "microRNA sponge" and suggest a new therapeutic target of human osteosarcoma.