2023, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (1): 66-71

miR-31 promotes the proliferation and migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

Zhang Yujuan1, Yuan Yitong1, Du Ruochen1, Tian Feng1, Fu Yuan2, Wang Chunfang1   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have been widely used in the clinical treatment of neurodegenerative-related diseases, but their efficacy is reduced by low cell survival and migration rates at the site of injury.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether miR-31 can enhance the migration and proliferation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.
METHODS: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells from C57BL/6 mice were cultured and identified, and the cells were divided into control, miR-31 agomir, and miR-31 antagomir groups. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells at passage 3 were inoculated in six-well plates (1×105/well). When the cells reached 50%-80% fusion, miR-31 agomir and miR-31 antagomir were added to the six-well plates after dilution with serum-free DMEM/F12. After 24 hours of transfection, the proliferation level of cells was analyzed by CCK-8 assay as well as the migration ability of cells was analyzed by Transwell assay. Protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and CXC chemokine receptor 4 was detected by western blot assay.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) miR-31 was successfully transfected with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells without transfection reagents and emitted red fluorescence. (2) After transfection, the proliferation ability of cells in the miR-31 agomir group was enhanced compared with the control group, which increased proportionally with time (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, miR-31 promoted the migratory ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in the miR-31 agomir group (P < 0.05) and also upregulated protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and CXC chemokine receptor 4 (P < 0.05). (3) The results indicated that miR-31 could improve the proliferation ability of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and promote the migration of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, which provides a basic study for efficient targeting of mesenchymal stem cell migration to the site of injury.
Key words: mesenchymal stem cell, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell, microRNA, miR-31, cell migration, spinal cord injury, CXC chemokine receptor 4, matrix metalloproteinase 2