Reduced miR-519d-3p levels in the synovium and synovial fluid facilitate the progression of post-traumatic osteoarthritis by targeting VEGF.

The present study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of miR-519d-3p in patients with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). The levels of miR-519d-3p in the synovium and synovial fluid (SF) of all subjects were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The results of the present study demonstrated that the levels of miR-519d-3p in the synovium and SF of patients with PTOA were significantly lower, but that the VEGF content was significantly higher, compared with that of control group. Dual-luciferase reporter and Western blot assays demonstrated that VEGF was a target gene of miR-519d-3p. Furthermore, miR-519d-3p inhibitor-induced cell apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest could be partially reversed by silencing VEGF. Additionally, the level of miR-519d-3p in the synovium and SF of patients with PTOA was negatively correlated with the level of VEGF. ROC analysis demonstrated that miR-519d-3p levels in the synovium and SF could effectively differentiate patients with PTOA from healthy controls, with areas under the ROC curve of 0.928 and 0.896, respectively. In conclusion, reduction of miR-519d-3p in the synovium and SF resulted in the upregulation of VEGF in patients with PTOA, and miR-519d-3p may be a potential therapeutic target of PTOA.