Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent joint disorder characterized by cartilage degeneration. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as pivotal players in OA progression, orchestrating various biological processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) reorganization. Among these circRNAs, circSLTM exhibits aberrant expression in OA, yet its precise regulatory mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of circSLTM in OA pathogenesis, with a focus on its role as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA). Human cartilage tissues were procured from both OA patients and non-OA individuals, while human chondrocyte cells were subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment to mimic OA-like conditions. Our findings revealed upregulation of circSLTM in OA patients and LPS-treated chondrocytes. Loss-of-function assays were conducted, demonstrating that silencing circSLTM via shRNAs mitigated LPS-induced effects on chondrocytes, as evidenced by enhanced proliferation, reduced apoptosis, and inflammatory factors, and altered expression of extracellular matrix proteins. Further exploration into the regulatory mechanism of circSLTM unveiled its interaction with microRNA-515-5p (miR-515-5p) to modulate vesicle-associated membrane protein (VAPB) expression in chondrocytes. VAPB, also upregulated in OA, was positively regulated by circSLTM. Rescue assays corroborated that VAPB overexpression reinstated the protective effects of circSLTM knockdown on LPS-treated chondrocytes. Moreover, concurrent knockdown of both circSLTM and VAPB demonstrated synergistic protection against LPS-induced chondrocyte injury. Additionally, we delineated that LPS triggered the activation of the NF-κB pathway in chondrocytes, which was counteracted by circSLTM silencing. To assess the effects of circSLTM on OA in vivo, anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) mouse models were established, revealing that circSLTM deficiency ameliorated cartilage defects in vivo. In conclusion, circSLTM exacerbates osteoarthritis progression by orchestrating the miR-515-5p/VAPB axis and activating the NF-κB pathway, providing novel insights for targeted therapy in OA management.