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Using micro RNA analysis to explore mechanisms of fracture healing



DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2015.68

To find out more about the epigenetic mechanisms involved in fracture healing in patients with osteoporosis, this group analyzed samples of trabecular bone obtained from patients having surgery for osteoporotic hip fracture and from control patients with hip osteoarthritis.

The samples were subjected to miRNA analysis using real-time PCR; a total of 760 miRNAs were studied. A significant difference in expression between the two groups was observed for 13 of the miRNAs. Five were chosen for further analysis based on how significant this difference was and the consistency with which they could be amplified.

The replication study confirmed that two miRNAs, miR-187 and miR-518f, were expressed differentially. miR-187 was expressed in 74% of the samples from patients with osteoporosis compared to 90% of samples from controls. miR-518f was detected in 37% of controls and 74% of samples from fracture patients. However, when the expression of these two miRNAs was assessed using primary osteoblast cultures obtained from patients with osteoporotic fractures and from controls, no significant differences could be detected.

Editor’s comment: This is one of the first hypothesis-free studies of the fracture microRNome. In spite of limitations (small sample size; patients with osteoarthritis instead of healthy controls; penalty due to multiple testing), this study is a step in right direction.


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