Utility of circulating serum miRNAs as biomarkers of early cartilage degeneration in animal models of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Mus musculus

The purpose of this study was to identify potential serum microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers of cartilage degeneration comparing preclinical mouse models of post-traumatic osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis. Overall design: Cartilage degeneration was induced in one knee of 10-12 week old male C57BL6 mice by surgical destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) or intra-articular injection of methylated-bovine-serum-albumin (AIA), with sham-operated or saline-injected control animals (n=6/treatment/time). Total serum RNA and knee joints were isolated at 1, 4 and 16 weeks post-induction. Cartilage degeneration was scored histologically. Serum miRNA expression profiling was performed using Agilent microarrays and validated by quantitative PCR.