Synovial Fluid MicroRNA-210 as a Potential Biomarker for Early Prediction of Osteoarthritis

Early detection and treatment are critical in the management of osteoarthritis (OA). OA is closely associated with angiogenesis and the inhibition of angiogenesis presents a novel therapeutic approach to reduce inflammation and pain in OA. Recent reports suggest that circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have great potential as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis in OA. In this study, we aimed to explore the clinical significance of miR-210 in synovial fluid samples from 10 healthy volunteers and 20 early-stage OA and 20 late-stage OA patients. miR-210 expression was assessed by real-time RT-PCR. VEGF protein levels were examined by ELISA. The results show that miR-210 is significantly upregulated in early-stage OA and late-stage OA patients compared with healthy individuals. Higher levels of VEGF are also found in OA compared with the control. Moreover, miR-210 levels are positively correlated with VEGF levels, suggesting that miR-210 might contribute to OA development through promoting VEGF expression and angiogenesis. In conclusion, upregulation of miR-210 in synovial fluid may occur in the early stage of OA and can be a useful biomarker for early diagnosis of OA.