Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disease characterized by degradation of the articular cartilage and joint inflammation. Studies have revealed the importance of microRNAs in the regulation of chondrocyte apoptosis. MicroRNA deep sequencing of control and osteoarthritic cartilage has revealed that miR-10a-5p is significantly upregulated in osteoarthritic tissues. However, its role in these tissues remains unknown. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of miR-10a-5p in promoting OA. miR-10a-5p expression was increased in chondrocytes after interleukin-1β treatment in vitro. Transfection with a miR-10a-5p inhibitor abrogated interleukin-1β-induced apoptosis. A luciferase activity assay showed that miR-10a-5p targeted the 3' UTR of the homeobox gene HOXA1, inhibiting its expression. Treatment with HOXA1 siRNA reversed the rescuing effect of the miR-10a-5p inhibitor on chondrocyte apoptosis. Additionally, an OA model was established in mice by anterior cruciate ligament transection. AntagomiR-10a-5p improved the cartilage surfaces of osteoarthritic mice, whereas agomiR-10a-5p worsened them. A terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay indicated reduced apoptosis and increased HOXA1 expression in osteoarthritic mice after miR-10a-5p knockdown. These findings reveal a novel mechanism regulating OA progression and demonstrate the potential of miR-10a-5p and homeobox protein HOXA1 as therapeutic targets.

Background: Basivertebral foramen (BF) is a vessel and nerve passage in the posterior wall of vertebral body (VB). Our goal was to report BF's morphological characteristics in different age groups of mainland Chinese adults and to evaluate the relationship between BF's morphology and factors such as age, gender, heavy work, size and level of VB.Methods: We enrolled 300 adults among persons who came to our hospital for health examination. We measured BFs and VBs’ parameters on T1 weighted sagittal lumbar spine MR images. We also assessed following potential predictors: gender, body height, body weight, body mass index, alcohol use, habits of smoking and drinking, type of work (physical work or non-physical work). A stepwise multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of BF's height.Results: People above 60 have significantly bigger BFHr than those in young adulthood and in the middle ages at all five levels, while they have shallowest BFs, especially at L3. Multiple linear regression resulted in a formula that accounted for 30.1% of the variability in the height of basivertebral foramen. Significant predictors included: gender, age, level, vertebral height and heavy work.Conclusion: Age is the highest weight in all factors on the height of BF. BF is closer to the upper endplate. The BF was relatively higher and deeper in the female lumbar spine. Heavywork results in lower BF. Last but not the least, as we supposed, BF gets shallower and higher compare to VB with age.Level of evidence: Prognostic level III. See instructions for authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Objective To evaluate the immunogenicity and osteogenic ability of animal-derived bone graft material decellularized with supercritical carbon dioxide. Methods Porcine femurs were randomly divided into two groups after preliminary treatment, and decellularized with conventional method (conventional control group) or supercritical carbon dioxide (experimental group). Clearance rate of galactose-α-1, 3-galactose (α-Gal) and residual DNA of the two groups were analyzed to assess the immunogenicity of the xenogenic materials. Clearance rate of α-Gal was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and residual DNA was detected by fluorescence method. Nine SPF-grade male athymic nude mice of 6 weeks old were randomly divided into experimental group, conventional control group and positive control group. Samples were implanted over biceps femoris muscle of athymic nude mice, the explants were collected 4 weeks post implantation, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry were applied to determine the osteogenic ability and bone tissue-associated protein expressions of the implants. Results The clearance rates of α-Gal antigen in the experimental group and the conventional control group were (99.09±0.26)% and (30.18±2.02)%, respectively (t=58.67, P<0.01). The residual DNA of the experimental group, the conventional control group and the positive control group were (13.49±0.07) ng/mg, (15.20±0.21) ng/mg and (14.70±0.17) ng/mg, the residual DNA in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the conventional control group (t=－13.41, P<0.01) and the positive control group (t=－11.30, P<0.01). HE staining showed that multiple bone formation centers with active osteogenesis and rich bone marrow were observed in experimental group 4 weeks after implantation, only a small number of bone formation centers were observed in the conventional control group and the positive control group, with no obvious osteoblasts present. Immunohistochemistry results indicated that the expressions of alkaline phosphatase, Runt-related transcription factor 2, typeⅠcollagen and osteocalcin in the experimental group showed an increasing trend compared with those in the conventional control group and the positive control group. Conclusion Compared with clinically used demineralized bone matrix and bone graft material decellularized with conventional method, bone graft material decellularized with supercritical carbon dioxide exhibits lower immunogenicity and better osteogenic ability.