MicroRNA-221-mediated Control of Osteogenic Differentiation in Unrestricted Somatic Stem Cells Cultured on Nano-polycaprolactone Scaffolds Coated with Nano-hydroxyapatite MicroRNA-221 mediated regulation of osteogenesis in USSCs
Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Vol. 22 No. 1 (2026),
26 January 2026
,
Page 342-352
https://doi.org/10.22037/ijps.v22i1.48562
Abstract
Stem cells are essential for engineered tissue, and controlling their differentiation is crucial. Our study explored the impact of using a bone tissue-engineering scaffold and anti-miR-221 transfection on unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSCs) for promoting osteogenic differentiation. Polycaprolactone (PCL) was used as a biodegradable scaffold material, and collagen type 1 nanofibers and nano-hydroxyapatite (HA) particles were incorporated into the scaffold to mimic the extracellular matrix for bone tissue engineering. Scaffold structure and cell morphology were assessed using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis. The bone-differentiation potential of USSCs was assessed by measuring mRNA expression of osteogenic genes in the PCL/HA scaffold under varying growth medium compositions. Surprisingly, anti-mir-221 transfection was accompanied by increased osteogenic differentiation of USSCs when seeded on the PCL/HA scaffold in a basal growth medium. Importantly, the inclusion of osteogenic supplements in the growth medium significantly increased expression of the osteopontin (OPN) gene but decreased expression of osteocalcin (OCN). These observations demonstrated that the composition of the growth medium influences cell behavior and gene expression. Thus, the findings underscore the importance of miRNA studies and the optimization of growth medium compositions to provide more natural conditions for bone tissue regeneration and engineering.
- Anti-mir-221
- Hydroxyapatite
- Osteogenic differentiation
- PCL
- USSCs
How to Cite
References
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