Exosomes promote hFOB1.19 proliferation and differentiation via LINC00520

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis remains a significant clinical challenge worldwide. Recent studies have shown that exosomes stimulate bone regeneration. Thus, it is worthwhile to explore whether exosomes could be a useful therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exosomes derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hucMSCs) on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. METHODS: Exosomes were isolated from hucMSCs. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify the differentially expressed lncRNAs in myeloma-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Plasmids encoding LINC00520 or short hairpin RNA of LINC00520 were transfected into hucMSCs and then exosomes were isolated. After human osteoblasts hFOB1.19 were exposed to the obtained exosomes, cell survival, cell cycle, apoptosis and calcium deposits of hFOB1.19 cell were detected by MTT, 7-aminoactinomycin D, Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide and Alizarin red staining, respectively. RESULTS: In hFOB1.19 cells, 10 × 10(9)/mL hucMSC-derived exosomes inhibited cell proliferation, arrested cell cycle, and promoted apoptosis, while hucMSCs or 1 × 10(9)/mL exosomes promoted cell proliferation, accelerated cell cycle, and promoted calcium deposits and the expression of OCN, RUNX2, collagen I and ALP. In hFOB1.19 cells, exosomes from hucMSCs with LINC00520 knockdown reduced the survival and calcium deposits, arrested the cell cycle, and enhanced the apoptosis, while exosomes from hucMSCs overexpressing LINC00520 enhance the proliferation and calcium deposits and accelerated the cell cycle. CONCLUSIONS: LINC00520 functions as a modulator of calcium deposits, and exosomes derived from hucMSCs overexpressing LINC00520 might be a novel therapeutic approach for osteoporosis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13018-023-04021-y.