Effect of S100A4 siRNA on Genes Related to Osteogenic Differentiation in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are highly proliferative and can differentiate into multiple lineages. It has been demonstrated that S100A4, a S100 calcium-binding protein, can act as an inhibitor of mineralization. Therefore, inhibition of S100A4 might increase osteogenetic differentiation of MSCs. We investigated the effect of S100A4 inhibition by short interfering RNA (siRNA), which is a modified siRNA with improved silencing longevity. We also studied the specific effect of siRNA on the expression of many genes related to osteogenic differentiation. Inhibition of S100A4 by siRNA resulted in increased expression of many genes related to osteogenic differentiation. This study provided a tool for better understanding of osteogenesis differentiation in MSCs.