Emerging evidence indicates that osteoclasts direct osteoblastic bone formation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a crucial role in regulating osteoclast and osteoblast function. However, whether miRNAs mediate osteoclast-directed osteoblastic bone formation is mostly unknown. Here, we show that increased osteoclastic miR-214-3p associates with both elevated serum exosomal miR-214-3p and reduced bone formation in elderly women with fractures and in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. Osteoclast-specific miR-214-3p knock-in mice have elevated serum exosomal miR-214-3p and reduced bone formation that is rescued by osteoclast-targeted antagomir-214-3p treatment. We further demonstrate that osteoclast-derived exosomal miR-214-3p is transferred to osteoblasts to inhibit osteoblast activity in vitro and reduce bone formation in vivo. Moreover, osteoclast-targeted miR-214-3p inhibition promotes bone formation in ageing OVX mice. Collectively, our results suggest that osteoclast-derived exosomal miR-214-3p transfers to osteoblasts to inhibit bone formation. Inhibition of miR-214-3p in osteoclasts may be a strategy for treating skeletal disorders involving a reduction in bone formation.
Paclitaxel (PTX) is among the most commonly used first-line drugs for cancer chemotherapy. However, its poor water solubility and indiscriminate distribution in normal tissues remain clinical challenges. Here we design and synthesize a highly water-soluble nucleolin aptamer-paclitaxel conjugate (NucA-PTX) that selectively delivers PTX to the tumor site. By connecting a tumor-targeting nucleolin aptamer (NucA) to the active hydroxyl group at 2′ position of PTX via a cathepsin B sensitive dipeptide bond, NucA-PTX remains stable and inactive in the circulation. NucA facilitates the uptake of the conjugated PTX specifically in tumor cells. Once inside cells, the dipeptide bond linker of NucA-PTX is cleaved by cathepsin B and then the conjugated PTX is released for action. The NucA modification assists the selective accumulation of the conjugated PTX in ovarian tumor tissue rather than normal tissues, and subsequently resulting in notably improved antitumor activity and reduced toxicity.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) quiescently reside in bone marrow niches and have the capacity to self-renew or differentiate to form all blood cells throughout the lifespan of an animal1–3. Allogeneic HSC transplantation is a life-saving treatment for malignant and non-malignant disorders4,5. HSCs isolated from umbilical cord blood (CB) are used for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT)6–11, but due to limited numbers of HSCs in single units of umbilical CB, a number of methods have been proposed for ex vivo expansion of human HSCs7,8,12. We show here that antagonism of the nuclear hormone receptor PPARγ promotes ex vivo expansion of phenotypically and functionally-defined subsets of human CB HSCs and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HSPCs). PPARγ antagonism in CB HSPCs strongly downregulated expression of several differentiation associated genes, as well as fructose 1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBP1), a negative regulator of glycolysis, and enhanced glycolysis without compromising mitochondrial metabolism. The expansion of CB HSPCs by PPARγ antagonism was completely suppressed by removal of glucose or inhibition of glycolysis. Moreover, knockdown of FBP1 expression promoted glycolysis and ex vivo expansion of long-term repopulating CB HSPCs, whereas overexpression of FBP1 suppressed the expansion of CB HSPCs induced by PPARγ antagonism. Our study suggests the possibility for a new and simple means for metabolic reprogramming of CB HSPCs to improve the efficacy of HCT.
Osteosarcoma (OS) is a bone cancer mostly occurring in pediatric population. Current treatment regime of surgery and intensive chemotherapy could cure about 60%–75% patients with primary osteosarcoma, however only 15% to 30% can be cured when pulmonary metastasis or relapse has taken place. Hence, novel precise OS-targeting therapies are being developed with the hope of addressing this issue. This review summarizes the current development of molecular mechanisms and targets for osteosarcoma. Therapies that target these mechanisms with updated information on clinical trials are also reviewed. Meanwhile, we further discuss novel therapeutic targets and OS-targeting drug delivery systems. In conclusion, a full insight in OS pathogenesis and OS-targeting strategies would help us explore novel targeted therapies for metastatic osteosarcoma.
Efficient hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) homing is important for hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), especially when HSC numbers are limited, as with the use of cord blood (CB). In a screen of small molecule compounds, we identified glucocorticoid hormone signaling as an activator of CXCR4 expression in human CB HSCs and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). Short-term glucocorticoid (GC) pretreatment of human CB HSC/HPCs promoted SDF-1/CXCR4 mediated chemotaxis, homing, and long-term engraftment when transplanted into primary and secondary NSG mice. Mechanistically, activated glucocorticoid receptor binds directly to a glucocorticoid response element (GRE) in the CXCR4 promoter and recruits the SRC1/p300 complex to promote H4K5 and H4K16 histone acetylation, facilitating transcription of CXCR4. These results suggest a new and readily available means to enhance the clinical efficacy of CB HCT.
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