中国组织工程研究 ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (2): 312-321.doi: 10.12307/2025.239

• 组织工程相关大数据分析 Big data analysis in tissue engineering • 上一篇    下一篇

KRT18与mRNA及长链非编码RNA互作调控椎间盘髓核细胞损伤的机制

刘钟元1,李  扬2,张志文2   

  1. 1湖北中医药大学针灸骨伤学院,湖北省武汉市  430061;2湖北中医药大学附属医院、湖北省中医院、湖北省中医药研究院,湖北省武汉市430061
  • 收稿日期:2023-12-07 接受日期:2024-02-19 出版日期:2025-01-18 发布日期:2024-05-24
  • 通讯作者: 张志文,博士,副主任医师,湖北中医药大学附属医院、湖北省中医院、湖北省中医药研究院,湖北省武汉市 430061
  • 作者简介:刘钟元,男,1999年生,湖北省武汉市人,汉族,湖北中医药大学中医骨伤学在读硕士,医师,主要从事脊椎相关疾病治疗机制的研究。
  • 基金资助:
    湖北省自然科学基金项目(2022CFB406),项目负责人:张志文

Mechanism by which KRT18 interacts with mRNA and long non-coding RNA to regulate intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus cell injury

Liu Zhongyuan1, Li Yang2, Zhang Zhiwen2    

  1. 1College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China; 2Hospital affiliated to Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
  • Received:2023-12-07 Accepted:2024-02-19 Online:2025-01-18 Published:2024-05-24
  • Contact: Zhang Zhiwen, MD, Associate chief physician, Hospital affiliated to Hubei University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hubei Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
  • About author:Liu Zhongyuan, Master candidate, Physician, College of Acupuncture and Orthopedics, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
  • Supported by:
    the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province, No. 2022CFB406 (to ZZW)

摘要:

文题释义:
长链非编码RNA(Long non-coding RNA,lncRNA):是长度> 200个核苷酸的非编码RNA。lncRNA在剂量补偿效应、表观遗传调控、细胞周期调控和细胞分化调控等众多生命活动中发挥重要作用。
椎间盘髓核:髓核是乳白色半透明胶状体,富于弹性,为椎间盘结构的一部分,位于两软骨板与纤维环之间。由纵横交错的纤维网状结构即软骨细胞和蛋白多糖黏液样基质构成的弹性胶冻物质。

背景:椎间盘中差异表达的RNA结合蛋白在椎间盘退变中发挥着关键作用,其中RNA结合蛋白KRT18水平的降低与椎间盘退行性病变相关,但其在椎间盘髓核细胞中的具体作用尚未完全确定。
目的:探讨KRT18与mRNA及长链非编码RNA结合互作对椎间盘髓核细胞的影响及机制。
方法:对因腰部骨折或椎间盘退行性病变而接受椎间融合术的患者进行人体髓核组织取样获得正常髓核细胞和退变髓核细胞,并进行
iRIP-seq、功能富集分析以及DNA 微阵列分析,随后根据分析结果在髓核细胞中敲低KRT18,通过蛋白免疫印迹及qRt-PCR在蛋白和RNA水平检测相关基因水平的表达。
结果与结论:通过iRIP-seq分析发现GUAAUC和AGCCUC序列中存在大量的KRT18结合位点,表明KRT18可参与调控RNA的转录、翻译、稳定性或在细胞信号传导途径中发挥作用。其能够与成熟的mRNA稳定结合,其中表达较高的基因包括CRLF1及IGFBP4等,同时与其结合的长链非编码RNA的峰值基因包括SNHG25、SNHG12、NEAT1、USP32、EIF4A2和CDH4,这些基因多涉及细胞凋亡、炎症等多种生物过程,并且能介导细胞外基质代谢的相关通路,KRT18能够调控它们的稳定性、转运、翻译、剪接等多个方面的功能,进而影响基因的表达和细胞功能。实验结果验证了在髓核细胞中敲低KRT18,细胞外基质代谢水平被抑制出现失衡,导致体外椎间盘退变。该研究首次从KRT18与mRNA及长链非编码RNA结合的角度探讨其调控机制,并推测了KRT18在椎间盘退变发病机制中的潜在功能,为今后KRT18关键功能的研究奠定了基础。
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8554-2199(刘钟元);https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3303-9046(张志文)
中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点:组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程

关键词: 椎间盘退行性变, RNA结合蛋白, KRT18, iRIP-seq, mRNA, 长链非编码RNA

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Differentially expressed RNA-binding proteins in the intervertebral disc plays a key role in intervertebral disc degeneration, and decreased levels of the RNA-binding protein KRT18 are associated with degenerative disc disease, but its specific role in the nucleus pulposus cells has not yet been fully determined.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the interaction of KRT18 with mRNA and long non-coding RNA on nucleus pulposus cells of the intervertebral disc and its mechanism.
METHODS: Normal and degenerated nucleus pulposus cells were obtained from nucleus pulposus samples of patients undergoing interbody fusion for lumbar fracture or intervertebral disc degeneration. iRIP-seq, functional enrichment analysis, and DNA microarray analysis were performed to identify the mRNA and long non-coding RNA binding with KRT18. Subsequently, KRT18 was knocked down in nucleus pulposus cells based on the analysis results, and the expression levels of related genes were detected at the protein and RNA levels through protein immunoblotting and qRT-PCR, respectively.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Through iRIP-seq analysis, we identified abundant KRT18 binding sites within the GUAAUC and AGCCUC sequences, indicating that KRT18 may be involved in regulating RNA transcription, translation, stability or play a role in cell signaling pathways. It can stably bind to mature mRNA, among which highly expressed genes include CRLF1, IGFBP4, etc. At the same time, the peak genes of long non-coding RNA binding with it include SNHG25, SNHG12, NEAT1, USP32, EIF4A2 and CDH4. Most of these genes are involved in various biological processes such as apoptosis and inflammation, and can mediate related pathways of extracellular matrix metabolism. KRT18 can regulate their stability, transport, translation, splicing and other functions, thus affecting gene expression and cell function. We further verified through experiments the knockdown of KRT18 in nucleus pulposus cells, and found that the level of extracellular matrix metabolism was inhibited and unbalanced, resulting in intervertebral disc degeneration in vitro. This study investigated the regulatory mechanism of KRT18 from the perspective of its binding with mRNA and long non-coding RNA for the first time, and speculated the potential function of KRT18 in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration, laying a foundation for future research on the key functions of KRT18.

Key words:  Intervertebral disc degeneration, RNA-binding protein, KRT18, iRIP-seq, mRNA, long non-coding RNA

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