Objective To explore the effect of LncRNA MEG3 on osteogenic differentiation by human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSC) through regulating miR-133a-3p/TGF-β1/ Smads signal axis. Methods Lentivirus vector and lentivirus package were constructed to infect cells with lentivirus containing target genes. HBMSC were divided into Control group, NC group, MEG3, sh-MEG3, MEG3+miR-133a-3p sponge group, and MEG3+miR-133a-3p group. After osteogenic induction, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and Alizarin red staining were used to detect ALP activity and calcium deposition. Real-time fluorescence quantitative (qRT-PCR) analysis was used to detect the expression levels of MEG3, miR-133a-3p, TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, smad2, smad3, smad4, Runx2, and OPN mRNA in each group. Western blotting analysis was used to detect the protein expressions of TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, smad2, smad3, smad4, Runx2, and OPN. Results Compared with those in the NC group, the ALP activity and Alizarin red calcium salt deposition reduced significantly in the MEG3 group. MEG3 mRNA was up-regulated, the expression of miR-133a-3p mRNA increased significantly, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, smad2, smad3, smad4, Runx2, and OPN decreased significantly in the MEG3 group (P<0.05). In the sh-MEG3 group, ALP activity and Alizarin red calcium salt deposition increased significantly, MEG3 mRNA was down-regulated, the expression of miR-133a-3p mRNA decreased significantly, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, smad2, smad3, smad4, Runx2, and OPN increased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with those in the MEG3 group, ALP activity and Alizarin red calcium salt deposition increased significantly in the MEG3+miR-133a-3p sponge group, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, smad2, smad3, smad4, Runx2, and OPN increased significantly (P<0.05). In the MEG3+miR-133a-3p group, ALP activity and Alizarin red calcium salt deposition decreased significantly, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of TGF-β1, TGF-βR1, smad2, smad3, smad4, Runx2, and OPN decreased significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion LncRNA MEG3 may promote the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSC by regulating miR-133a-3p/TGF-β1/Smads signal axis. |