The emerging role of miR‐128 in musculoskeletal diseases
Qi Shang, Gengyang Shen, Guifeng Chen, Zhida Zhang, Xiang Yu, Wenhua Zhao, Peng Zhang, Honglin Chen, Kai Dun Tang, Fuyong Yu, Jingjing Tang, De Liang, Xiaobing Jiang, Hui Ren
Abstract
MicroRNA-128 (miR-128) is associated with cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, and survival. Genetic analysis studies have demonstrated that miR-128 participates in bone metabolism, which involves bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and adipocytes. miR-128 also participates in regeneration of skeletal muscles by targeting myoblast-associated proteins. The deregulation of miR-128 could lead to a series of musculoskeletal diseases. In this review, we discuss recent findings of miR-128 in relation to bone metabolism and muscle regeneration to determine its potential therapeutic effects in musculoskeletal diseases, and to propose directions for future research in this significant field.