Letter to the Editor
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Stem Cells. Jun 26, 2022; 14(6): 429-434
Published online Jun 26, 2022. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v14.i6.429
Long noncoding RNAs in mesenchymal stromal/stem cells osteogenic differentiation: Implications in osteoarthritis pathogenesis
Daniel Quintero, Hugo C Rodriguez, Anish G Potty, Dimitrios Kouroupis, Ashim Gupta
Daniel Quintero, Department of Orthopaedics, Division of Sports Medicine, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, United States
Hugo C Rodriguez, Holy Cross Orthopedic Institute: Fort Lauderdale Practice, Oakland Park, FL 33334, United States
Anish G Potty, Ashim Gupta, South Texas Orthopedic Research Institute, Laredo, TX 78045 United States
Dimitrios Kouroupis, Diabetes Research Institute, Cell Transplant Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, United States
Ashim Gupta, BioIntegrate, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, United States
Ashim Gupta, Future Biologics, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, United States
Author contributions: Gupta A and Kouroupis D conceptualized the study; Quintero D, Rodriguez HC, Potty AG, Kouroupis D, and Gupta A outlined and designed the manuscript; Quintero D, Rodriguez HC, Kouroupis D and Gupta A drafted the manuscript; Potty AG, Kouroupis D and Gupta A critically reviewed and edited the manuscript; all authors approved the final version of the article for publication.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Ashim Gupta, MS, PhD, Director, Future Biologics, 2505 Newpoint Pkwy, Suite 100, Lawrenceville, GA 30043, United States. ashim6786@gmail.com
Received: March 26, 2022
Peer-review started: March 26, 2022
First decision: April 25, 2022
Revised: April 27, 2022
Accepted: May 21, 2022
Article in press: May 21, 2022
Published online: June 26, 2022
Abstract

This letter focuses on a recently published article that provided an exceptional description of the effect of epigenetic modifications on gene expression patterns related to skeletal system remodeling. Specifically, it discusses a novel modality of epigenetic regulation, the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and provides evidence of their involvement in mesenchymal stromal/stem cells osteo-/adipo-genic differentiation balance. Despite focus on lncRNAs, there is an emerging cross talk between lncRNAs and miRNAs interaction as a novel mechanism in the regulation of the function of the musculoskeletal system, by controlling bone homeostasis and bone regeneration, as well as the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. Thus, we touched on some examples to demonstrate this interaction. In addition, we believe there is still much to discover from the effects of lncRNAs on progenitor and non-progenitor cell differentiation. We incorporated data from other published articles to review lncRNAs in normal progenitor cell osteogenic differentiation, determined lncRNAs involved in osteoarthritis pathogenesis in progenitor cells, and provided a review of lncRNAs in non-progenitor cells that are differentially regulated in osteoarthritis. In conclusion, we really enjoyed reading this article and with this information we hope to further our understanding of lncRNAs and mesenchymal stromal/stem cells regulation.

Keywords: Long noncoding RNAs, Epigenetics, Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells, Degenerative bone diseases, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis

Core Tip: This letter summarizes that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) osteo-/adipo-genic differentiation balance. We added that the interaction between lncRNAs and miRNAs is strongly involved in the regulation of the function of the musculoskeletal system, by controlling bone homeostasis and bone regeneration, as well as the osteogenic differentiation of stem cells. Additionally, MSCs/progenitor cells lncRNAs are involved in osteogenic differentiation, osteoarthritis pathogenesis, and lncRNAs in non-progenitor cells are differentially regulated in osteoarthritis.