Long noncoding RNA ZFAS1 silencing alleviates rheumatoid arthritis via blocking miR-296-5p-mediated down-regulation of MMP-15

Mechanism of lncRNA ZFAS1 mediating nucleus pulposus cell pyroptosis in intervertebral disc degeneration

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the mechanism of lncRNA ZFAS1 in pyroptosis of TNF-α-induced nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD).

METHODS

Mouse NPCs were isolated and induced by TNF-α to establish a cell model of IDD. The cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. NLRP3, GSDMD-N, and cleaved-Caspase1 expressions were detected by Western blot. IL-1β and IL-18 contents were detected by ELISA. RT-qPCR was performed to determine ZFAS1, miR-155-3p, and METTL14 expressions. After intervening in ZFAS1 expression, the effect of ZFAS1 on pyroptosis was verified by Western blot and ELISA assays. RNA pull down or dual luciferase assay verified the binding between ZFAS1, miR-155-3p, and METTL14.

RESULTS

TNF-α induced pyroptosis of NPCs and promoted ZFAS1 expression. Silence of ZFAS1 repressed pyroptosis of TNF-α-induced NPCs. Mechanistically, ZFAS1 upregulated the transcription of METTL14 by competitively binding to miR-155-3p, thus enhancing NLRP3/Caspase-1-mediated NPC pyroptosis. Inhibition of miR-155-3p or overexpression of METTL14 alleviated the inhibitory effect of ZFAS1 silencing on TNF-α-treated NPC pyroptosis.

CONCLUSION

ZFAS1 facilitates NLRP3/Caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis of NPCs in IDD via miR-155-3p/METTL14 axis.

The Role of Long Non-Coding RNA in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that leads to joint damage and physical dysfunction. The pathogenesis of RA is highly complex, involving genetic, epigenetic, immune, and metabolic factors, among others. Over the years, research has highlighted the importance of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in regulating gene expression. Given their dysregulation in numerous conditions, ncRNAs are thought to play a role in pathological processes. In RA, aberrant levels of circulating long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) are commonly observed in peripheral blood, along with their dysregulated expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and synovial tissue. This review discusses the involvement of lncRNAs in inflammation and the aggressive characteristics of fibroblast-like synoviocytes, a key cellular population driving RA progression.

Role of Non-coding RNAs in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Supervision Mechanism of Chinese Medicine

The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has sharply increased in recent years, posing a serious threat to human health. RA is characterized as a chronic, multisystem disease with morning stiffness and symmetric small joint pain. However, its fundamental processes are poorly understood. With the advancements in molecular biology techniques, a growing body of research indicates that numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are essential for the pathogenesis of RA. These ncRNAs not only contribute to the onset of RA but also play a role in the pathological processes of RA development, including synovial immune inflammation and bone destruction. Chinese medicine (single compounds, single herbs, and compound formulae, as well as non-drug therapies such as acupuncture and moxibustion), offer significant benefits for treating RA. This study examined the role of 3 different ncRNA types (circular RNA, long ncRNA, and microRNA) as biomarkers in RA diagnosis, as well as their regulatory roles in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes functions such as inflammatory response, proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, and invasion. Additionally, the study explored the mechanisms by which Chinese medicine regulates these ncRNAs, with the goal of offering innovative strategies for RA treatment.

The Challenges of Local Intra-Articular Therapy

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) are among the main disease-driving players in most cases of monoarthritis (MonoA), oligoarthritis, and polyarthritis. In this review, we look at the characteristics and therapeutic challenges at the onset of arthritis and during follow-up management. In some cases, these forms of arthritis develop into autoimmune polyarthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), whereas local eradication of the RA synovium could still be combined with systemic treatment using immunosuppressive agents. Currently, the outcomes of local synovectomies are well studied; however, there is still a lack of a comprehensive analysis of current local intra-articular treatments highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the aim of this study is to review local intra-articular therapy strategies. According to publications from the last decade on clinical studies focused on intra-articular treatment with anti-inflammatory molecules, a range of novel slow-acting forms of steroidal drugs for the local treatment of synovitis have been investigated. As pain is an essential symptom, caused by both inflammation and cartilage damage, various molecules acting on pain receptors are being investigated in clinical trials as potential targets for local intra-articular treatment. We also overview the new targets for local treatment, including surface markers and intracellular proteins, non-coding ribonucleic acids (RNAs), etc.

Unveiling Novel Drug Targets and Emerging Therapies for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Comprehensive Review

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic debilitating autoimmune disease, that causes joint damage, deformities, and decreased functionality. In addition, RA can also impact organs like the skin, lungs, eyes, and blood vessels. This autoimmune condition arises when the immune system erroneously targets the joint synovial membrane, resulting in synovitis, pannus formation, and cartilage damage. RA treatment is often holistic, integrating medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications. Its main objective is to achieve remission or low disease activity by utilizing a "treat-to-target" approach that optimizes drug usage and dose adjustments based on clinical response and disease activity markers. The primary RA treatment uses disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that help to interrupt the inflammatory process. When there is an inadequate response, a combination of biologicals and DMARDs is recommended. Biological therapies target inflammatory pathways and have shown promising results in managing RA symptoms. Close monitoring for adverse effects and disease progression is critical to ensure optimal treatment outcomes. A deeper understanding of the pathways and mechanisms will allow new treatment strategies that minimize adverse effects and maintain quality of life. This review discusses the potential targets that can be used for designing and implementing precision medicine in RA treatment, spotlighting the latest breakthroughs in biologics, JAK inhibitors, IL-6 receptor antagonists, TNF blockers, and disease-modifying noncoding RNAs.

Long noncoding RNA/circular RNA regulates competitive endogenous RNA networks in rheumatoid arthritis: molecular mechanisms and traditional Chinese medicine therapeutic significances

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic and autoimmune disease that is mainly featured abnormal fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) proliferation and inflammatory cell infiltration. Abnormal expression or function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) are closely related to human diseases, including RA. There has been increasing evidence showing that in the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks, both lncRNA and circRNA are vital in the biological functions of cells. Nevertheless, the exact mechanism of ceRNA in RA remains to be investigated. Herein, we summarized the molecular potencies of lncRNA/circRNA-mediated ceRNA networks in RA, with emphasis on the phenotypic regulation of ceRNA in the progression of RA, including regulation of proliferation, invasion, inflammation and apoptosis, as well as the role of ceRNA in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of RA. In addition, we also discussed the future direction and potential clinical value of ceRNA in the treatment of RA, which may provide potential reference value for clinical trials of TCM therapy for the treatment of RA.Key messagesLong noncoding RNA/circular RNA can work as the competitive endogenous RNA sponge and participate in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.Traditional Chinese medicine and its agents have shown potential roles in the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis via competitive endogenous RNA.

LncRNA-mediated cell autophagy: An emerging field in bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis

In recent years, research on the mechanism of bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has remained in the initial stages, and the mechanism has not been fully elucidated to date. Recent studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in RA bone destruction via autophagy, but the specific regulatory mechanism of lncRNA-mediated autophagy is unclear. Therefore, in this article, we review the mechanisms of lncRNA-mediated autophagy in fibroblast-like synoviocytes and chondrocytes in RA bone destruction. We explain that lncRNAs mediate autophagy and participate in many specific pathological processes of RA bone destruction by regulating signalling pathways and the expression of target genes. Specific lncRNAs can be used as markers for molecular diagnosis, mechanistic regulation, treatment and prognosis of RA.

High-throughput sequencing approach for the identification of lncRNA biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma and revealing the effect of ZFAS1/miR-150-5p on hepatocellular carcinoma progression

Aims

To screen abnormal lncRNAs and diagnostic biomarkers in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma through high-throughput sequencing and explore the underlying mechanisms of abnormal lncRNAs in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods

The transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze the RNA expression profile and identify differentially expressed RNAs. Hub lncRNAs were screened by combining (WGCNA, ceRNA regulatory network, PPI, GO and KEGG analyses, Kaplan-Meier curve analysis, Cox analysis, risk model construction and qPCR). Thereafter, the correlation between the expression of hub lncRNAs and tumor clinicopathological parameters was analyzed, and the hub lncRNAs were analyzed by GSEA. Finally, the effects of hub RNAs on the proliferation, migration and invasion of HepG2 cells were investigated in vitro.

Results

Compared with the control group, a total of 610 lncRNAs, 2,593 mRNAs and 26 miRNAs were screened in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Through miRNA target prediction and WGCNA, a ceRNA was constructed, comprising 324 nodes and 621 edges. Enrichment analysis showed that mRNAs in ceRNA were involved mainly in cancer development progression. Then, the ZFAS1/miR-150-5p interaction pair was screened out by Kaplan Meier curve analysis, Cox analysis and qPCR analysis. Its expression was related to tumor stage, TNM stage and patient age. ROC curve analysis showed that it has a good predictive value for the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. GSEA showed that ZFAS1 was also enriched in the regulation of immune response, cell differentiation and proliferation. Loss-of-function experiments revealed that ZFAS1 inhibition could remarkably suppress HepG2 cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Bioinformatic analysis and luciferase reporter assays revealed that ZFAS1 directly interacted with miR-150-5p. Rescue experiments showed that a miR-150-5p inhibitor reversed the cell proliferation, migration and invasion functions of ZFAS1 knockdown in vitro.

Conclusion

ZFAS1 is associated with the malignant status and prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, and the ZFAS1/miR-150-5p axis is involved in hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

Epigenetic Regulations in Autoimmunity and Cancer: from Basic Science to Translational Medicine

Epigenetics, as a discipline that aims to explain the differential expression of phenotypes arising from the same gene sequence and the heritability of epigenetic expression, has received much attention in medicine. Epigenetic mechanisms are constantly being discovered, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, noncoding RNAs and m6A. The immune system mainly achieves an immune response through the differentiation and functional expression of immune cells, in which epigenetic modification will have an important impact. Because of immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment, immunotherapy has become a research hotspot in tumor therapy. Epigenetics plays an important role in autoimmune diseases and cancers through immunology. An increasing number of drugs targeting epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and drug combinations, are being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of various cancers (including leukemia and osteosarcoma) and autoimmune diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis). This review summarizes the progress of epigenetic regulation for cancers and autoimmune diseases to date, shedding light on potential therapeutic strategies.

lncRNA ZFAS1 promotes intervertebral disc degeneration by upregulating AAK1

We investigated the function of lncRNA zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) progression in vitro and in vivo. Nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues were obtained from 20 patients with IDD. IL-1β was used to stimulate primary NP cells to establish the IDD models in vitro. Gene expression was determined by RT-qPCR. 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine and flow cytometry were performed to determine cell proliferation and apoptosis, and western blotting was conducted to measure the apoptosis- and extracellular matrix (ECM)-related protein expression. Luciferase reporter assay was used to examine the interactions between the genes. We also investigated the effect of ZFAS1 in a mouse model of IDD induced by needle punctures. Our results showed that ZFAS1 expression was elevated in degenerative NP tissues and IL-1β-treated NP cells. ZFAS1 knockdown inhibited NP cell apoptosis and ECM degradation induced by IL-1β. Mechanically, ZFAS1 sponged miR-4711-5p and adaptor-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) was targeted by miR-4711-5p. Furthermore, AAK1 overexpression partially eliminated the impact of ZFAS1 depletion on NP cell proliferation, apoptosis, and ECM degradation. More importantly, the results of the in vivo studies confirmed the effect of silencing ZFAS1 on alleviating the symptoms of IDD mice. Overall, silencing ZFAS1 inhibits IDD progression by reducing NP cell apoptosis and ECM degradation through the miR-4711-5p/AAK1 axis.

lncRNA-mediated synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis: A perspective for biomarker development

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a regulatory class of noncoding RNAs with a wide range of activities such as transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulations. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that various lncRNAs contribute to the initiation and progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) through distinctive mechanisms. The present study reviews the recent findings on lncRNA role in RA development. It focuses on the involvement of different lncRNAs in the main steps of RA pathogenesis including T cell activation, cytokine dysregulation, fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) activation and joint destruction. Besides, it discusses the current findings on RA diagnosis and the potential of lncRNAs as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers in Rheumatology clinic.

Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis Identifies Specific Modules and Hub Genes Related to Subacute Ruminal Acidosis

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was used to understand the pathogenesis of subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) and identify potential genes related to the disease. Microarray data from dataset GSE143765, which included 22 cows with and nine cows without SARA, were downloaded from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Results of WGCNA identified highly correlated modules of sample genes, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses allowed further biological insights into SARA-related modules. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, modules from the PPI network, and cistron annotation enrichment of modules were also analyzed. A total of 14,590 DEGs were used for the WGCNA. Construction of a protein-protein network identified DCXR, MMP15, and MMP17 as hub genes. Functional annotation showed that DCXR mainly exhibited L-xylulose reductase (NADP+) activity, glucose metabolic process, xylulose metabolic process, and carbonyl reductase (NADPH) activity, which are involved in the pentose and glucuronate interconversion pathways. MMP15 and MMP17 mainly have a collagen catabolic process. Overall, the results of this study aid the clarification of the biological and metabolic processes associated with SARA at the molecular level. The data highlight potential mechanisms for the future development of intervention strategies to reduce or alleviate the risk of SARA.

LncRNA OSER1-AS1 regulates the inflammation and apoptosis of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast like synoviocytes via regulating miR-1298-5p/E2F1 axis

It has been reported that long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) take part in the progression and occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The current work aimed to dig the effect of lncRNA OSER1-AS1 on RA and the associated mechanism. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was made to decide that OSER1-AS1 was significantly lowly expressed in synovial tissue and serum of RA patients, which was consistent in RA-FLSs cell lines. The result of ROC curve indicated that OSER1-AS1 could be a diagnostic biomarker for RA patients. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay (CCK-8), EdU staining and flow cytometry were performed to explore the effect of OSER1-AS1 on RA-FLSs in vitro. Relative levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metalloproteinases-3 (MMP-3) were detected by ELISA and the result displayed that overexpression of OSER1-AS1 inhibited RA-induced inflammatory production of IL-1, IL-6 and MMP3. Bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter, RNA immunoprecipitation assays (RIP) and RNA pull-down assay were conducted to confirm the binding between microRNA-1298-5p (miR-1298-5p) and OSER1-AS1 or E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1). Mechanistically, OSER1-AS1 serves as a competing endogenous (ceRNA) in RA-FLSs through the sponge of miR-1298-5p and increase in the expression of E2F1. Further restoration experiments revealed that miR-1298-5p mimics and E2F1 silencing could partially reverse the inhibiting effect of OSER1-AS1 overexpression on propagation and apoptosis in RA-FLSs. The results illustrated the biological mechanism of OSER1-AS1/miR-1298-59/E2F1 axis in RA progression. The outcomes indicated that OSER1-AS1 might be adopted as a hopeful diagnostic and therapeutic objective for RA.

Functional Interactions Between lncRNAs/circRNAs and miRNAs: Insights Into Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases that affect synovitis, bone, cartilage, and joint. RA leads to bone and cartilage damage and extra-articular disorders. However, the pathogenesis of RA is still unclear, and the lack of effective early diagnosis and treatment causes severe disability, and ultimately, early death. Accumulating evidence revealed that the regulatory network that includes long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)/circular RNAs (circRNAs), micro RNAs (miRNAs), and messenger RNAs (mRNA) plays important roles in regulating the pathological and physiological processes in RA. lncRNAs/circRNAs act as the miRNA sponge and competitively bind to miRNA to regulate the expression mRNA in synovial tissue, FLS, and PBMC, participate in the regulation of proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and inflammatory response. Thereby providing new strategies for its diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we comprehensively summarized the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network and the potential roles of non-coding RNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the diagnosis and treatment of RA.

Differential Expression Profiles of lncRNA Following LPS-Induced Inflammation in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

Bovine mastitis is an inflammatory response of mammary glands caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). As a key virulence factor of E. coli, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) triggers innate immune responses via activation of the toll-like-receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway. However, the molecular regulatory network of LPS-induced bovine mastitis has yet to be fully mapped. In this study, bovine mammary epithelial cell lines MAC-T were exposed to LPS for 0, 6 and 12 h to assess the expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) using RNA-seq. Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) were filtered out of the raw data for subsequent analyses. A total of 2,257 lncRNAs, including 210 annotated and 2047 novel lncRNAs were detected in all samples. A large proportion of lncRNAs were present in a high abundance, and 112 DElncRNAs were screened out at different time points. Compared with 0 h, there were 22 up- and 25 down-regulated lncRNAs in the 6 h of post-infection (hpi) group, and 27 up- and 22 down-regulated lncRNAs in the 12 hpi group. Compared with the 6 hpi group, 32 lncRNAs were up-regulated and 25 lncRNAs were down-regulated in the 12 hpi group. These DElncRNAs are involved in the regulation of a variety of immune-related processes including inflammatory responses bMECs exposed to LPS. Furthermore, lncRNA TCONS_00039271 and TCONS_00139850 were respectively significance down- and up-regulated, and their target genes involve in regulating inflammation-related signaling pathways (i.e.,Notch, NF-κB, MAPK, PI3K-Akt and mTOR signaling pathway), thereby regulating the occurrence and development of E. coli mastitis. This study provides a resource for lncRNA research on the molecular regulation of bovine mastitis.

lncRNA-ZFAS1 promotes the progression of endometrial carcinoma by targeting miR-34b to regulate VEGFA expression

Zinc finger nuclear transcription factor, X-box binding 1-type containing 1 antisense RNA 1 (ZFAS1) functions as an oncogenic long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) to promote proliferation and metastasis of endometrial carcinoma cell; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully understood. First, RT-qPCR analysis of endometrial carcinoma tissues and cells showed that ZFAS1 was enriched in endometrial carcinoma tissues and cells. miR-34b was reduced in endometrial carcinoma and suggested negative correlation with ZFAS1 in endometrial carcinoma. Second, functional assays demonstrated that siRNA-mediated silence of ZFAS1 suppressed endometrial carcinoma cell proliferation and metastasis. Third, ZFAS1 bind to miR-34b and negatively regulate expression of miR-34b in endometrial carcinoma cells. miR-34b also bind to and negatively regulate expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) in endometrial carcinoma cells. Lastly, knockdown of miR-34b counteracted with the suppressive effects of ZFAS1 silence on endometrial carcinoma cell proliferation and metastasis. In conclusion, lncRNA ZFAS1 functioned as an oncogene to promote endometrial carcinoma cell proliferation and metastasis through miR-34b/VEGFA axis.

LncRNAs as a new regulator of chronic musculoskeletal disorder

OBJECTIVES

In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been found to play a role in the occurrence, progression and prognosis of chronic musculoskeletal disorders.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Literature exploring on PubMed was conducted using the combination of keywords 'LncRNA' and each of the following: 'osteoarthritis', 'rheumatoid arthritis', 'osteoporosis', 'osteogenesis', 'osteoclastogenesis', 'gout arthritis', 'Kashin-Beck disease', 'ankylosing spondylitis', 'cervical spondylotic myelopathy', 'intervertebral disc degeneration', 'human muscle disease' and 'muscle hypertrophy and atrophy'. For each disorder, we focused on the publications in the last five years (5/1/2016-2021/5/1, except for Kashin-Beck disease). Finally, we excluded publications that had been reported in reviews of various musculoskeletal disorders during the last three years. Here, we summarized the progress of research on the role of lncRNA in multiple pathological processes during musculoskeletal disorders.

RESULTS

LncRNAs play a crucial role in regulating downstream gene expression and maintaining function and homeostasis of cells, especially in chondrocytes, synovial cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts and skeletal muscle cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding the mechanisms of lncRNAs in musculoskeletal disorders may provide promising strategies for clinical practice.

Promising Therapeutic Targets for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic poly-articular chronic autoimmune joint disease that mainly damages the hands and feet, which affects 0.5% to 1.0% of the population worldwide. With the sustained development of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), significant success has been achieved for preventing and relieving disease activity in RA patients. Unfortunately, some patients still show limited response to DMARDs, which puts forward new requirements for special targets and novel therapies. Understanding the pathogenetic roles of the various molecules in RA could facilitate discovery of potential therapeutic targets and approaches. In this review, both existing and emerging targets, including the proteins, small molecular metabolites, and epigenetic regulators related to RA, are discussed, with a focus on the mechanisms that result in inflammation and the development of new drugs for blocking the various modulators in RA.

Knockdown of ZFAS1 improved the cardiac function of myocardial infarction rats via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a big health threat in the world, and it is characterized by high morbidity and mortality. However, current treatments are not effective enough, and novel therapeutic strategies need to be explored. ZFAS1 has been proved to be involved in the regulation of MI, but the specific mechanism remains unclear. MI rats were constructed through left anterior descending artery ligation, and hypoxia cell model was also established. The proliferation, invasion, and migration of cells were detected via CCK8, traswell, and wound healing methods. Immunohistochemistry staining, western blotting, and qRT-PCR were used to detect the levels of molecules. Knockdown of ZFAS1 significantly increased the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cardiac fibroblasts. Knockdown of ZFAS1 remarkably improved cardiac function via decreasing infarction ratio and increasing vWF expression, left ventricular ejection fraction, and left ventricular fractional shortening compared with group MI. Knockdown of ZFAS1 also suppressed Wnt/β-catenin pathway in vivo. The inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin remarkably reversed the influence of shZFAS1 on cardiac function and cardiac fibroblasts viability. Therefore, Knockdown of ZFAS1 could improve the cardiac function of myocardial infarction rats via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. The present study might provide new thoughts for the prevention and treatment of MI damage.

Transcriptome-Wide High-Throughput m6A Sequencing of Differential m6A Methylation Patterns in the Human Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes Cell Line MH7A

Introduction

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs and is closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases, especially tumors. However, the relationship between m6A methylation and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still a mystery.

Methods

Two high-throughput sequencing methods, namely, m6A modified RNA immunoprecipitation sequence (m6A-seq) and RNA sequence (RNA-seq) were performed to identify the differentially expressed m6A methylation in human rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes cell line MH7A after stimulation with TNF-α. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were used to obtain enriched GO terms and significant KEGG pathways. Then, four candidate genes, Wilms tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP), receptor-interacting serine/threonine protein kinase 2 (RIPK2), Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) and tumor necrosis factor receptor SF10A (TNFRSF10A) were selected to further validate the m6A methylation, mRNA and protein expression levels in MH7A cells and synovial tissues of adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats by RT-qPCR and Western blot.

Results

Using m6A-seq, we identified a total of 206 genes with differentially expressed m6A methylation, of which 118 were significantly upregulated and 88 genes were significantly downregulated. Likewise, 1207 differentially mRNA expressed mRNAs were obtained by RNA-seq, of which 793 were upregulated and 414 downregulated. Further joint analysis showed that the m6A methylation and mRNA expression levels of 88 genes changed significantly, of which 30 genes displayed increased m6A methylation and decreased mRNA expression, 57 genes displayed decreased m6A methylation and increased mRNA expression increased, and 1 gene displayed increased m6A methylation and increased mRNA expression. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that these unique genes were mainly enriched in inflammation-related pathways, cell proliferation and apoptosis. In addition, the validations of WTAP, RIPK2, JAK3 and TNFRSF10A were in accordance with the m6A and RNA sequencing results.

Conclusion

This study established the transcriptional map of m6A in MH7A cells and revealed the potential relationship between RNA methylation modification and RA related genes. The results suggested that m6A modification was associated with the occurrence and course of RA to some extent.