Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of microRNA-10b (miR-10b) on idiopathic short stature (ISS). Methods A total of 54 children with ISS and 54 healthy children were collected. The serum expression of miR-10b was detected by RT-qPCR, and the relationship between serum miR-10b expression and clinical data of children with ISS was analyzed. miR-10b inhibitor, si-TGFBR1 and their negative control transfection C28/I2 cells were used. CCK-8 experimental detection was used to detect C28/I2 cell proliferation. Western blot assay was used to detect gnome related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), collagen type X alpha 1 chain (COL10A1), transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGFBR1), SMAD3 and pSMAD3 protein expression. The target of miR-10b was screened in StarBase database, and the targeting relationship between miR-10b and TGFBR1 was verified by dual luciferase reporter gene assay. Results The serum expression of miR-10b was higher in the ISS group than that of the healthy control group, and the higher the miR-10b expression, the more obvious the decrease of child height, IGF-1 and alkaline phosphatase (P<0.05). Compared with the NC group, the cell proliferation ability and RUNX2, COL10A1, TGFBR1, and pSMAD3 protein expression were up-regulated in the miR-10b inhibitor group (P<0.05). StarBase database suggested that miR-10b had a binding site of TGFBR1, and dual luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that TGFBR1 interacted with miR-10b (P<0.05). Compared with the si-NC group, the expression of TGFBR1 was down-regulated and the cell proliferation ability was decreased in the si-TGFBR1 group (P<0.05). Conclusion miR-10b inhibits chondrocyte proliferation and hypertrophy in idiopathic short stature by targeting TGFBR1/SMAD3 pathway.

Key words: idiopathic short stature, receptor, transforming growth factor-beta type Ⅰ, miR-10b, Smad3 protein