miR-155 Inhibits Nucleus Pulposus Cells’ Degeneration through Targeting ERK 1/2

Abstract

We first investigated the difference in microRNA expression between normal NP cells and degenerative NP cells using gene chip. We have found that the expression of ERK1/2 was decreased with overexpression of miR-155 in normal nucleus pulposus cell. Expression of ERK1/2 was increased with inhibition of miR-155. Overexpression or inhibition of miR-155 had no effects on the expression level of mRNA ERK1/2 in nucleus pulposus cell, which showed that miR-155 affected the expression of pERK1/2 after transcription of ERK1/2 mRNA indicating that ERK1/2 was a new target protein regulated by miR-155. In the degeneration of intervertebral disc, inhibited miR-155 decreased the expressions of extracellular main matrix collagen II and glycosaminoglycan and increased expression of ERK1/2. Taken together, our data suggested that miR-155 was the identified miRNA which regulated NP cells degenerated through directly targeting ERK1/2.

lncRNA/circRNA‑miRNA‑mRNA ceRNA network in lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration

“…Although their interaction mechanisms have not been analyzed in IDD, the roles of some miRNAs and lncRNAs have been confirmed in IDD and other diseases. For example, Wang et al (45) and Ye et al (46) demonstrated that miR-155 is downregulated in degenerative NP by microarray analysis; this was confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Zhang et al (47) demonstrated that upregulation of MALAT1 restrains IDD through suppressing inflammation and NP apoptosis, and promoting cell proliferation (47).…”

Involment of RAS/ERK1/2 signaling and MEF2C in miR-155-3p inhibition-triggered cardiomyocyte differentiation of embryonic stem cell

“…Furthermore, miR-155 can decrease the expressions of KRAS protein and mRNA [ 48 ]. Interestingly, miR-155 is the identified miRNA which regulates nucleus pulpous cells degeneration through directly targeting ERK1/2 [ 49 ]. Our data showed that miR-155-3p inhibited KRAS and pERK1/2 expression in EBs.…”

The PI3K/Akt pathway: a critical player in intervertebral disc degeneration

“…Additionally, treatment of bovine NP cells with IGF-1 combined bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP-7) synergistically promoted aggrecan accumulation by enhancing Akt activity [ 52 ]. Accumulating evidence suggests that dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) participates in disc degeneration [ 53 , 54 ]. Recently, Liu and colleagues observed that miR-4458 levels were significantly increased in degenerative human lumbar disc specimens [ 55 ].…”