Abstract
The present study aimed to investigate the biological function and underlying molecular mechanisms of miR-31 in osteoarthritis (OA). Reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect miR‑31 expression, and it was found that miR‑31 was downregulated in the cartilage tissues of OA patients. microRNA.org was used to predict the gene targets of miR‑31, and dual luciferase reporter assays were used to verify that C‑X‑C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) was a direct target of miR‑31. The human chondrocyte cell line CHON‑001 was used to perform MTT and cell migration assays. Western blotting was used to measure the protein expression of CXCL12, type I collagen and aggrecan. The results suggested that CXCL12 was a target of miR‑31, and the expression of CXCL12 was negatively regulated by miR‑31 in CHON‑001 cells. miR‑31 increased CHON‑001 cell viability and migration, as well as the expression of type I collagen and aggrecan. Furthermore, the overexpression of CXCL12 eliminated the effects of miR‑31 mimics on CHON‑001 cells. In conclusion, the data indicated that miR‑31 promoted chondrocyte viability and migration by directly targeting CXCL12, which provided evidence for CXCL12 as a potential target in OA therapy.