ABSTRACT
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), which are thought to regulate articular cartilage through endochondral osteogenesis, consist of mRNA-interfering complementary RNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA). More and more experimental evidence reveals the role of ncRNAs in chondrocyte differentiation and the pathogenesis of several skeletal diseases, including osteoarthritis. In the past few years, increasingly sophisticated DNA sequencing methods and a large number of sepigenetic modifications have greatly contributed to our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of osteoarthritis. Recent studies have revealed that RNA interacts with RNA-binding proteins, regulates gene transcription and protein translation, and is involved in various pathological processes in OA, promising to be a therapeutic target for osteoarthritis.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) is a glycoprotein. Recent studies have demonstrated that rhEPO regulates many functional activities of neural cells. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of different concentrations of rhEPO on proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) cultured in vitro. METHODS: Newborn Sprague-Dawley rat NSCs were harvested and cultured with serum-free culture medium containing different concentrations (5, 50, 500 U/mL) of rhEPO and 20 μg/L basic fibroblast growth factors (5, 50, and 500 U/mL rhEPO groups) and serum-free culture medium only containing 20 μg/L basic fibroblast growth factors (control group). After 7 days of culture, the cloning efficiency of NSCs was calculated. After 10 days of culture, neuron specific enolase (NSE)-and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunoreactive cells were quantified. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In the rhEPO groups, cells proliferated rapidly, and the number of NSC microspheres was greater, in particular in the 50 U/mL rhEPO group, compared with the control group. NSCs grew faster in the 50 U/mL rhEPO group than in the control group. The number of NSE-and GFAP-immunoreactive cells was greater in the 50 U/mL rhEPO group than in the control group (P<0.01). These findings suggest that rhEPO promotes the in vitro culture and proliferation of NSCs, in particular 50 U/mL rhEPO.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There are fewer reports about estrogen effects on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of diethylstilbestrol on the osteogenic differentiation of rabbit BMSCs. METHODS: Rabbit BMSCs cultured in vitro were intervened with 0, 10-7, 10-6, 10-5 mol/L diethylstilbestrol, and BMSCs cultured with dexamethasone 10-8 mol/L, β-sodium glycerophosphate 10 mmol/L, and vitamin C 50 mg/L were used as positive controls. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: 10-6 mol/L diethylstilbestrol significantly improved the proliferative ability of BMSCs at 24, 48, and 72 hours after intervention (P < 0.01). 10-5 mol/L diethylstilbestrol significantly inhibited the proliferation of BMSCs at 48 hours after intervention as well as 10-7 mol/L diethylstilbestrol at 72 hours (P < 0.01). Mineralized nodular structures formed at 25 days after intervention with 10-7 mol/L diethylstilbestrol. Alkaline phosphatase activities were remarkably increased at 14 and 21 days after intervention with 10-7, 10-6 mol/L diethylstilbestrol. It has been proved that diethylstilbestrol has an enhancing effect on the osteogenic differentiation of rabbit BMSCs.