LncRNA-Jak3:Jak3 coexpressed pattern regulates monosodium urate crystal-induced osteoclast differentiation through Nfatc1/Ctsk expression.

LncRNA transcripts have been emerged as gene regulators through transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation. Monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) elicits inflammatory response and a critical regulator of bone erosion in gout. The aim of this study is to clarify the pro-osteogenic role of LncRNA in MSU-induced osteoclast differentiation. We performed microarray analysis to identify stage specific expressions of LncRNA and mRNA during osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells. Among the 314 pairs of LncRNA-mRNA coexpressed patterns in the osteoclast lineage, 22 pairs revealed to have inflammatory function. Importantly, LncRNA-Jak3 and Jak3 co-expression patterns were significantly upregulated in the osteoclasts. In specific, Jak3 contributes to MSU-induced osteoclasts differentiation by positively regulating expression of the osteoclast factor, nuclear factor of activated T-cells 1 (Nfatc1). Mechanistically, LncRNA-Jak3-mediated Nfatc1 activation upregulated cathepsin K (Ctsk) expressions. LncRNA-Jak3 knockdown abolished formation of MSU-induced mature osteoclasts. In addition, we found that gout patients showed increased levels of LncRNA-Jak3 in the mononuclear cells. Our data demonstrate that the critical functional role of LncRNA-Jak3 in osteoclast differentiation via Jak3/Nfatc1/Ctsk axis. Finally, characterization of these regulatory networks is likely to reveal novel drug targets and opportunities for therapeutic intervention in bone erosion.