Expression Profile Analysis of Differentially Expressed Circular RNAs in Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head.

Zhongxin Zhu,Wenxi Du,Hongting Jin,Peijian Tong,Huan Yu

doi:10.1155/2019/8759642

Abstract

Background A growing number of studies have suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers in many diseases. However, the role of circRNAs in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) has not been reported. Methods Secondary sequencing was performed to profile circRNA expression in peripheral blood samples from three SONFH patients and three healthy individuals. We confirmed our preliminary findings by qRT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted to predict their functions. Results The result showed 345 dysregulated circRNAs. qRT-PCR of eight selected circRNAs preliminarily confirmed the results, which were consistent with RNA sequencing. Bioinformatics analyses were performed to predict the functions of circRNAs to target the genes of miRNAs and the networks of circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions. Conclusions This study provides a new and fundamental circRNA profile of SONFH and a theoretical basis for further studies on the functions of circRNAs in SONFH.

Highlights

A growing number of studies have suggested that circular RNAs serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers in many diseases
Steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is an intractable disorder caused by the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) and leads to the progressive necrosis of osteocytes and the bone marrow [1, 2]
Six peripheral blood samples were used for RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), including three patients with steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) and three healthy control individuals with a history of GC use

Summary

Introduction

A growing number of studies have suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers in many diseases. The role of circRNAs in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) has not been reported. Secondary sequencing was performed to profile circRNA expression in peripheral blood samples from three SONFH patients and three healthy individuals. The result showed 345 dysregulated circRNAs. qRT-PCR of eight selected circRNAs preliminarily confirmed the results, which were consistent with RNA sequencing. Steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) is an intractable disorder caused by the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) and leads to the progressive necrosis of osteocytes and the bone marrow [1, 2]. In the absence of appropriate therapeutic interventions in the early stage, the collapse of the femoral head may later become unavoidable, resulting in severe secondary osteoarthritis and warranting artificial joint replacement in nearly 70% of patients [6, 7]

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion