Epigenetic modification of miR-217 promotes intervertebral disc degeneration by targeting the FBXO21-ERK signalling pathway

Zhonghui Chen; Jianghua Ming; Yajing Liu; Geliang Hu; Qi Liao

doi:10.1186/s13075-022-02949-w

Epigenetic modification of miR-217 promotes intervertebral disc degeneration by targeting the FBXO21-ERK signalling pathway

Arthritis Res Ther. 2022 Nov 28;24(1):261. doi: 10.1186/s13075-022-02949-w.

Authors

Zhonghui Chen^{1

2

3}, Jianghua Ming³, Yajing Liu⁴, Geliang Hu³, Qi Liao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Orthopaedic Surgery, Fuzhou Second Hospital, Fuzhou, China.
² The Third Clinical Medical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China.
³ Orthopaedic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 ZhangZhiDong Street, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
⁴ Department of Anaesthesiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
⁵ Orthopaedic Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 9 ZhangZhiDong Street, Wuchang District, Wuhan, Hubei, China. drliaoqi123@163.com.

Abstract

Background: Numerous potential therapeutic alternatives for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) have been investigated, the most promising of which are based on biological variables such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Therefore, we verified the hypothesis that miRNAs modulate IDD by affecting the FBXO21-ERK signalling pathway.

Methods: Microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) tests were used to examine the expression profiles of miRNAs in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells between patients with IDD and controls. Western blotting and luciferase reporter assays were used to identify the miRNA targets.

Results: Microarray and RT-qPCR assays confirmed that the expression level of miR-217 was significantly decreased in degenerative NP cells. CpG islands were predicted in the miR-217 promoter region. The IDD group had considerably higher methylation than the control group. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that miR-217 mimics inhibited apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) breakdown in NP cells. Bioinformatic analyses and luciferase assays were used to determine the connection between miR-217 and FBXO21. In vitro tests revealed that miR-217 mimics inhibited the expression of FBXO21, pERK, MMP13, and ADAMTS5 proteins, successfully protecting the ECM from degradation. Additionally, in vivo investigation using the IDD mouse model demonstrated that the miR-217 agonist may sufficiently promote NP cell proliferation, decrease apoptosis, promote ECM synthesis, and suppress the expression of matrix-degrading enzymes in NP cells.

Conclusions: Overexpression of miR-217 inhibits IDD via FBXO21/ERK regulation.

Trial registration: This study was performed in strict accordance with the NIH guidelines for the care and use of laboratory animals (NIH Publication No. 85-23 Rev. 1985) and was approved by the human research ethics committee of Wuhan University Renmin Hospital (Approval No. RMHREC-D-2020-391), and written informed consent was obtained from each participant.

Keywords: Extracellular matrix; FBXO21/ERK; Intervertebral disc degeneration; Methylation modification; miR-217.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Epigenesis, Genetic
Humans
Intervertebral Disc Degeneration* / genetics
MAP Kinase Signaling System / genetics
Mice
MicroRNAs* / genetics
Signal Transduction / genetics

Substances

MicroRNAs
MIRN217 microRNA, human
FBXO21 protein, human