Upregulating lncRNA GUSBP11 protects chondrocytes from IL-1β-induced inflammatory damage via inhibiting miR-122-5p.

Studies have demonstrated that several lncRNAs exhibit abnormal expression levels in patients suffering from osteoarthritis, and in-depth investigation of these aberrantly expressed lncRNAs may pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies targeting OA. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of glucuronidase beta pseudogene 11 (GUSBP11) in OA patients and to elucidate its potential molecular mechanism. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect GUSBP11 levels on cartilage tissues and serum samples obtained from OA patients. To establish an in vitro OA cell model, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was utilized to induce CHON-001 and ATDC5 cell lines. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate cell viability and apoptosis, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to qualify the levels of inflammatory factors. StarBase database predicted that miR-122-5p was the target gene of GUSBP11. Subsequently, luciferase reporter genes were conducted to validate this interaction. Potential target genes of miR-122-5p were predicted, followed by gene function annotation and correlation analysis of these targets. Our findings revealed that GUSBP11 expression was markedly decreased in both the cartilage tissues and serum of OA patients. Diminished levels of GUSBP11 showed high diagnostic accuracy for OA. In the IL-1β-induced OA cell model, GUSBP11 expression was notably reduced, leading to decreased cell viability, an increase in apoptotic cells, and elevated levels of inflammatory factors. Up-regulation of GUSBP11 significantly ameliorated these adverse effects. Luciferase reporter genes confirmed the interaction between GUSBP11 and miR-122-5p, indicating that an increase in miR-122-5p drastically inhibited cell viability while promoting apoptosis and inflammation. In conclusion, within the context of the in vitro OA cell model, GUSBP11 appears to exacerbate IL-1β-induced chondrocyte inflammation through the up-regulation of miR-122-5p. This underscores the potential of GUSBP11 as a novel target and avenue for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of OA.