STUDY DESIGN: A miRNA study. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify @entity1797 -specific miRNAs, followed by functional validation of results. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: @entity1797 ( @entity1797 ) is the major contributor to back @entity158 and the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease are not completely understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in @entity1797 , but the role of specific miRNAs involved in this disease remains elusive. METHODS: An initial screening of nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues miRNA expression by miRNA microarray was performed using samples from 10 @entity1 with @entity179 and 10 @entity1 with @entity174 (as controls), respectively. Subsequently, differential expression was validated using qRT-PCR. The level of differentially expressed miRNAs in degenerative NP tissues was investigated. Then, functional analysis of the miRNAs in regulating collagen II expression was carried out. Western blotting and luciferase reporter assay were also used to detect the target gene. RESULTS: We identified 23 miRNAs that were differentially expressed (16 upregulated and 7 downregulated) in @entity1 compared with controls. Following qRT-PCR confirmation, @entity13825 was significantly down-regulated in degenerative NP tissues when compared with controls. Moreover, its level was correlated with grade of @entity1797 . Overexpression of @entity11216 - @entity13825 promoted type II collagen expression in NP cells. Bioinformatics target prediction identified @entity1550 as a putative target of @entity13825 . Futhermore, luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that @entity13825 directly targets @entity1550 and affects the protein expression of @entity1550 in NP cells. Expression of @entity1550 negatively correlated with @entity13825 expression in degenerative NP tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The downregulation of @entity13825 induces type II collagen loss by directly targeting @entity1550 , leading to the development of @entity1797 . Our study also underscores the potential of @entity13825 as a novel therapeutic target in @entity1 @entity1797 . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Downregulation of XXXX is Involved in Loss of Type II Collagen by Directly Targeting @entity1550 ( @entity1550 ) in @entity1 Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['human', 'patients'] @entity13825 :: ('407019', 'Gene') :: ['miR-27b'] @entity174 :: ('MESH:D050723', 'Disease') :: ['lumbar fracture'] @entity11216 :: ('220972', 'Gene') :: ['miR'] @entity1797 :: ('MESH:D055959', 'Disease') :: ['Intervertebral disc degeneration', 'IDD', 'disc degeneration'] @entity1550 :: ('4322', 'Gene') :: ['MMP13'] @entity179 :: ('MESH:D019636', 'Disease') :: ['degenerative disc disease'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['radicular pain']
@entity13825 :: (407019,Gene) :: ['miR-27b']
