hsa-miR-508-5p as a New Potential Player in Intervertebral DiscDegeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is widely known as the principal cause of low back pain,
diminishing patients’ quality of life and imposing a huge economic burden on healthcare
systems worldwide. However, the underlying mechanisms of IDD remain to be determined.
This study aimed to scrutinize data sets via bioinformatics to identify microRNAs
(miRNAs)/genes and pathways associated with IDD. The array profiling of patients with IDD
and individuals without IDD was acquired from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database
(viz., GSE19943, GSE63492, and GSE34095). The expression profiles of miRNAs and genes
with differential patterns were analyzed using GEO2R. The target genes of the chosen miRNA
were then examined, and in silico functional analyses were performed on the signaling pathways
and biological processes of the differentially expressed genes. Three human miRNAs were up
and downregulated in IDD patients in the examined data sets. Among them, hsa-miR-508-5p
had a significant differential expression in the IDD group, and SEC11A, IPO5, FN1, and
MRPS10, as the targets of hsa-miR-508-5p, were upregulated in the IDD group. Furthermore,
extracellular matrix-receptor interactions, focal adhesion, and actin cytoskeleton regulation
were important pathways involved in IDD. Our analysis identified hsa-miR-508-5p as a novel
miRNA involved in IDD pathogenies. Our findings not only further confirmed the significant
role of miRNAs in IDD pathogenesis but also extended the spectrum of the miRNAs and genes
involved in IDD. Though, still, further experimental investigations are needed to confirm our
findings.