1. Academic Validation
  2. Overexpression of microRNA-141 inhibits osteoporosis in the jawbones of ovariectomized rats by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Overexpression of microRNA-141 inhibits osteoporosis in the jawbones of ovariectomized rats by regulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

  • Arch Oral Biol. 2020 May;113:104713. doi: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2020.104713.
Tong-Jun Liu 1 Jian-Lian Guo 2
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Stomatology, the Central Hospital afilliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, 250013, China. Electronic address: tongjunliu@hotmail.com.
  • 2 Department of Ophthalmology, the Jinan Eighth Hospital, Jinan, 250013, China.
Abstract

Objective: This work was aimed to investigate the effect of microRNA-141 (miR-141) overexpression in the jawbones of ovariectomized-induced osteoporosis rats and investigate the role of miR-141 in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Methods: Twenty-four female rats were randomly divided into the sham group, ovariectomized osteoporosis group (OP), miR-141 agonist group (miR-141), and miR-141 scramble group (Scramble). Bone mineral density (BMD) and pathological changes of the jaw were detected. Serum receptor activator of nuclear factor-B ligand (RANKL), Osteoprotegerin, tartrate-resistant Acid Phosphatase (TRAP), and bone gla protein (BGP) levels were tested by ELISA. The expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and Osterix measured by immunohistochemistry and the expression of Wnt, β-catenin, and Dickkopf1 (DKK1) proteins was measured by Western blot. Furhter, the Wnt agonist DKK2-C2, Wnt Inhibitor Endostar were used to verify the effect of miR-141 overexpression on the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Result: Compared with the OP group, the content of Osteoprotegerin increased while the levels of RANKL, BGP, TRAP decreased in the miR-141 and DKK2-C2 groups (p < 0.05). The levels of Runx2 and Osterix increased significantly in the miR-141 and DKK2-C2 groups when compared to the OP group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the protein expression of Wnt and β-catenin increased while DKK1 was remarkably down-regulated in the miR-141 and DKK2-C2 groups when compared to the OP group (p < 0.05). In contrast to the miR-141 group, the above results were reversed after treatment with the Endostar (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Overexpression of miR-141 could inhibit the osteoporosis of jawbones in ovariectomized rats by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Keywords

Osteoporosis; Ovariectomized rats; Wnt/β-catenin pathway; miR-141.

Figures
Products