MicroRNA-29a Mitigates Osteoblast Senescence and Counteracts Bone Loss through Oxidation Resistance-1 Control of FoxO3 Methylation

Senescent osteoblast overburden accelerates bone mass loss. Little is understood about microRNA control of oxidative stress and osteoblast senescence in osteoporosis. We revealed an association between microRNA-29a (miR-29a) loss, oxidative stress marker 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), DNA hypermethylation marker 5-methylcystosine (5mC), and osteoblast senescence in human osteoporosis. miR-29a knockout mice showed low bone mass, sparse trabecular microstructure, and osteoblast senescence. miR-29a deletion exacerbated bone loss in old mice. Old miR-29a transgenic mice showed fewer osteoporosis signs, less 5mC, and less 8-OHdG formation than age-matched wild-type mice. miR-29a overexpression reversed age-induced senescence and osteogenesis loss in bone-marrow stromal cells. miR-29a promoted transcriptomic landscapes of redox reaction and forkhead box O (FoxO) pathways, preserving oxidation resistance protein-1 (Oxr1) and FoxO3 in old mice. In vitro, miR-29a interrupted DNA methyltransferase 3b (Dnmt3b)-mediated FoxO3 promoter methylation and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity in aged osteoblasts. Dnmt3b inhibitor 5 '-azacytosine, antioxidant N-acetylcysteine, or Oxr1 recombinant protein attenuated loss in miR-29a and FoxO3 to mitigate oxidative stress, senescence, and mineralization matrix underproduction. Taken together, miR-29a promotes Oxr1, compromising oxidative stress and FoxO3 loss to delay osteoblast aging and bone loss. This study sheds light on a new antioxidation mechanism by which miR-29a protects against osteoblast aging and highlights the remedial effects of miR-29a on osteoporosis.