Obese osteoarthritis patients exhibit an inflammatory synovial fibroblast phenotype, which is regulated by the long non coding RNA MALAT1

OBJECTIVE: To identify long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) associated with the inflammatory phenotype of synovial fibroblasts from obese patients with osteoarthritis (OA), and to explore the expression and function of these lncRNAs. METHODS: Synovium was collected from normal-weight patients with hip fracture (non-OA; n = 6) and from normal-weight (n = 8) and obese (n = 8) patients with hip OA. Expression of RNA was determined by RNA-sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Knockdown of lncRNA was performed using LNA-based GapmeRs. Synovial fibroblast cytokine production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Synovial fibroblasts from obese patients with OA secreted greater levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (mean +/- SEM 162 +/- 21 pg/ml; P 2-fold change, P 2-fold change, P 1.5-fold change, P 2-fold change, P 1.5-fold change, P 1.5-fold change, P < 0.001). In addition, MALAT1 knockdown inhibited the proliferation of synovial fibroblasts from obese patients with OA. CONCLUSION: Synovial fibroblasts from obese patients with hip OA exhibit an inflammatory phenotype. MALAT1 lncRNA may mediate joint inflammation in obese OA patients.