MicroRNA-221 regulates XXXX of ligamentum flavum in @entity2649 by targeting @entity1552 .

@entity1 @entity1552 @entity82 @entity1184 @entity2649 @entity494
STUDY DESIGN: A study of lumbar ligamentum flavum (LF) OBJECTIVE.: To identify @entity1184 - related microRNAs (miRNAs) expression profile, and to investigate the role of miRNAs in the development of @entity1184 in @entity2649 ( @entity2649 ). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Although histologic and biologic literature on @entity1184 is available, the pathomechanism is still unknown. Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in many physiologic processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and @entity82 , but the role of specific miRNAs involved in @entity1184 remains elusive. METHODS: An initial screening of LF tissues miRNA expression by miRNA microarray was performed using samples from 10 @entity1 and 10 controls, respectively. Subsequently, differential expression was validated using qRT-PCR. Then, functional analysis of the miRNAs in regulating collagens I and III expression was carried out. Western blotting and luciferase reporter assay were also used to detect the target gene. In addition, the thickness of the LF at the level of the facet joint was measured on axial T1-weighted magnetic resonance images. RESULTS: We identified 18 miRNAs that were differentially expressed in @entity1 compared with controls. Following qRT-PCR confirmation, @entity494 was significantly lower in LF tissues of @entity1 when compared with controls. The LF was significantly thicker in @entity1 than that in controls. Bioinformatics target prediction identified @entity1552 as a putative target of @entity494 . Furthermore, luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that @entity494 directly targets @entity1552 and affects the protein expression of @entity1552 in fibroblasts isolated from LF. Of note, @entity494 mimic reduced mRNA and protein expression of collagens I and collagen III in fibroblasts isolated from LF. CONCLUSION: The down-regulation of @entity494 might contribute to @entity1184 by promoting collagens I and III expression via the induction of @entity1552 . Our study also underscores the potential of @entity494 as a novel therapeutic target in @entity2649 . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.
