High expression of VEGFA in MSCs promotes tendon-bone healing of rotator cuff tear via microRNA-205-5p

Q. Xu, W.-X. Sun, Z.-F. Zhang

Department of Sport Medicine, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, China. zzfyhd@163.com

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• Orthopedics

OBJECTIVE: To explore the role of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) in tendon-bone healing of rotator cuff tear (RCT) and to investigate its possible mechanism.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were transfected with pcDNA-VEGFA. The viability of MSCs was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Expression levels of type I and type II collagen in MSCs were detected by quantitative Real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RCT was constructed in rats. Meanwhile, all rats were divided into MSCs group and MSCs-pcDNA-VEGFA group, respectively. Biomechanical test was performed to detect ultimate load of failure and stiffness in RCT rats. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was conducted to analyze the binding condition between microRNA-205-5p and VEGFA, which was further verified by Western blot and qRT-PCR.
RESULTS: VEGFA overexpression significantly promoted viability and proliferation of MSCs. Expression levels of type I and type II collagen were significantly upregulated after VEGFA overexpression in MSCs. Biomechanical test showed that VEGFA overexpression in RCT rats remarkably elevated ultimate load of failure and stiffness. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay elucidated that VEGFA was the target gene of microRNA-205-5p. Furthermore, VEGFA negatively regulated microRNA-205-5p expression.
CONCLUSIONS: VEGFA promotes tendon-bone healing of RCT via inhibiting microRNA-205-5p expression.

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