Profiling of long noncoding RNAs in osteoarthritic chondrocytes

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a widespread chronic joint disorder that frequently results in joint pain, joint dysfunction, and disability. Here, I revealed the expression pattern of long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in OA cartilage. Among lncRNAs, Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 2 opposite strand (Zeb2os) was specifically upregulated in osteoarthritic condition with human homology. In osteoarthritic chondrocytes, small interfering RNA (siRNA) mediated inhibition of Zeb2os gene expression affected the viability of the primary articular chondrocytes under SNP treatment. However, the inhibition of Zeb2os in chondrocytes infected with Hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) or Zn2+ importer 8 (ZIP8) did not modulate OA associated matrix-degrading enzymes in chondrocytes. In this study, I investigate the expression profile of lncRNAs in OA cartilage based on a DNA microarray and the possible association with lncRNA Zeb2os and OA.