Title:MicroRNAs in the Pathogenesis of Ankylosing Spondylitis and
their Clinical Implication
Volume: 23
Issue: 10
Author(s): Lanqing Fu*, Guobo Wang, Wei Deng and Yu Lu*
Affiliation:
- Department of Orthopedics, Wuchang Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430063, China
- Department of Vasculocardiology, Wuchang Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430063, China
Keywords:
MicroRNAs, ankylosing, spondylitis, biomarker, diagnosis, apoptosis.
Abstract: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic and progressive immunoinflammatory
disease, which mainly affects the spine and sacroiliac joints and shows a
high rate of late disability. Inflammation, bone destruction, and new bone formation are
typical pathological changes of AS. AS is dominated by inflammation at the early stage.
While bone destruction and heterotopic ossification, the two contradictory manifestations
of AS, occur at a later stage and reflect the imbalance between osteogenesis
and osteoclastogenesis in AS patients. Till now, the pathogenesis of AS remains unclear.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of highly conserved single-stranded noncoding
RNAs (ncRNAs) with a length of about 22 bases characterized by temporal
sequence and tissue specificity. MiRNAs are key modulators in bone formation, resorption,
remodeling and regeneration by regulating the immune responses and the
differentiation and functions of osteoblasts, osteoclasts and chondrocytes. The present
review summarizes the roles and potential mechanisms of miRNAs’ involvement in AS
by regulating immuno-inflammatory responses, bone destruction, heterotopic ossification,
cell death and autophagy, and the involved signaling including the Wnt/β-catenin
and BMP/Smads pathways. In addition, the feasibility of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers
and therapeutic targets for AS are also discussed.
