Fig 2: NEAT1 binds to miR-122-5p, thus upregulating Sesn2 expression and activating the Nrf2 pathway. (a) Differential expression of mRNAs in OA samples in OA-related GSE16464 microarray. (b) Venn diagram of the predicted downstream mRNAs of miR-122-5p by the starBase, TargetScan, and miRDB databases and the downregulated mRNAs in OA samples in the OA-related GSE16464 microarray. (c) Expression of Sesn2 in OA samples in the GSE16464 microarray. (d) Binding sites between Sesn2 and miR-122-5p predicted by TargetScan and their binding in HEK-293T cells confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. (e) Interaction among NEAT1, miR-122-5p, and Sesn2 detected by dual-luciferase reporter assay. (f) Sesn2 expression in cartilage tissues of OA patients (n = 25) and normal tissues (n = 25) detected by RT-qPCR (left) as well as the correlation analysis of NEAT1 expression and Sesn2 expression in cartilage tissues of OA patients (n = 25) by Pearson's correlation coefficient (right). (g) Sesn2 protein expression in chondrocytes transfected with miR-122-5p mimic or miR-122-5p inhibitor determined by Western blot analysis. (h) Protein expression of the Nrf2 pathway-related factors in chondrocytes transfected with si-Nrf2 or si-NEAT1 determined by Western blot analysis. (i) mRNA expression of Sesn2, Srx1, and Trx1 in chondrocytes treated with oe-NEAT1 or combined with miR-122-5p mimic detected by RT-qPCR. (j) Protein expression of Sesn2, Nrf2, Srx1, and Trx1 in chondrocytes treated with oe-NEAT1 or combined with miR-122-5p mimic detected by Western blot analysis. *p < 0.05. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Data between groups were compared using independent sample t test. Correlation was analyzed by Pearson's correlation analysis. Data among groups were compared by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test. The cell experiment was run in triplicate independently.

Fig 3: The TXN or TXNIP protein expression level in the APP/PS1 mice. Representative images of Western blotting for TXN, TXNIP, and ß-actin in (a) the brain and (b) liver. Densitometric analysis of TXN or TXNIP and calculation of the ratio of TXN/TXNIP in the cerebral cortex of the brain (c–e) and the liver (f–h). Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 6). Significance: ** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05. Full-length blots are presented in Supplementary Figures S1 and S2.

Fig 4: The TXN or TXNIP gene expression level in the amyloid precursor protein and presenilin 1 double transgenic (APP/PS1) mice in (a) brain and (b) liver. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n = 6). Significance: ** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05.