Abstract

This present investigation aimed to explore the role and clinical significance of miR-132 in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Twenty osteoarthritis patients and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the present study. The synovial tissues and plasma of the patients and controls were collected and RT-qPCR was performed to determine the expression level of miR-132. In addition the osteoarthritis patient-derived fibroblast-like synoviocytes were isolated, cultured, transfected with miR-132 inhibitors and the proliferation and apoptosis of the cells was determined using MTT assay as well flowcytometry. Finally, the relationship between miR-132 and sirtuin1 in osteoarthritis was evaluated. miR-132 expression was significantly increased in both synovial tissues and plasma of osteoarthritis patients and results of receiver operating characteristic curve showed that both synovial and plasma miR-132 could serve as potential diagnostic biomarker for osteoarthritis with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, miR-132 inhibitors significantly inhibited the proliferation and promoted apoptosis of osteoarthritis patients-derived fibroblast-like synoviocytes. Finally, the expression of miR-132 and sirtuin1 was negatively correlated in osteoarthritis and sirtuin1 was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-132. miR-132 was up-regulated in osteoarthritis and miR-132 might promote the development of osteoarthritis through regulating the proliferation and apoptosis of osteoarthritis patients-derived fibroblast-like synoviocytes via targeting sirtuin1.