miR-644-5p carried by bone mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes targets regulation of p53 to inhibit ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis

BACKGROUND: This article aims to reveal the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of bone mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC)-derived exosomes on premature ovarian failure (POF). METHODS: Exosomes were collected from BMSCs and were used to treat cisplatin-induced POF mouse models. Pathological changes of ovarian tissue were detected by using HE staining and by Western blot that detected the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. In cisplatin-induced primary granulosa cell injury, exosomes were co-cultured with the granulosa cells. The apoptosis or viability of granulosa cells was analyzed by flow cytometry or MTT, respectively. In Target scan and microT-CDS databases, an intersection of miRNAs targeting to p53 was found. The expressions of miRNAs in BMSC-derived exosomes were detected by qRT-PCR. Besides, miR-664-5p targeted to p53 of cells was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: BMSC-derived exosomes improved the follicular morphology of POF mice and inhibited the expression of apoptosis-related protein. By co-culture of exosomes and primary granulosa cells, BMSC-derived exosomes repressed cisplatin-induced granulosa cells apoptosis and increased cells viability, while these effects were abrogated after the exosome-containing RNA was degraded by RNase. By Target scan, microT-CDS and qRT-PCR, miR-664-5p was regarded as the dominated RNA in BMSC-derived exosomes. By dual-luciferase reporter assay, miR-664-5p negatively regulated p53 luciferase activity. After shRNA interfering miR-664-5p of BMSC, BMSC-derived exosomes exerted no protective effect on cisplatin-induced granulosa cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that miR-644-5p carried by BMSC-derived exosomes inhibited the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cell by targeting p53 of cells, suggesting that miR-644-5p had the potential to treat POF and restore ovarian function.