Lnc Tmem235 promotes repair of early steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head by inhibiting hypoxia-induced apoptosis of BMSCs

Experimental & Molecular Medicine, Published online: 16 November 2022; doi:10.1038/s12276-022-00875-0Boosting the activity of a regulatory RNA molecule could improve the efficiency of stem cell therapies for a progressive bone disorder that results from prolonged steroid use for other medical conditions. Bone marrow-derived stem cells are commonly used to treat a steroid-induced disease that occurs when cells in the highest part of the thigh bone break down, leading to hip joint dysfunction and chronic pain. Wuxun Peng and colleagues from the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University in Guiyang, China, showed that these cells often struggle to survive in the oxygen-poor environment of decaying bone tissue due to changes in the expression levels of various regulatory molecules, one of which is a long non-coding RNA called Tmem235. When experimentally activated, this RNA prevents the stem cells from dying under low-oxygen conditions. A similar strategy may be beneficial in patients.
Source: Experimental and Molecular Medicine - Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Source Type: research