Fig. 4: MiR-23b-3p was the key mediator of osteocyte-derived extracellular vesicles in regulating cartilage metabolism.

A A schematic diagram illustrating the separation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and their enrichment from human tissues and mouse plasma. Heatmaps of relative miRNA differences (B) and enrichment analysis (C). D The miR-23b-3p levels in LS-EVs and HS-EVs (n = 5). E The miR-23b-3p levels in subchondral bone (SCB) osteocytes from WT and Dicer-cKO mice with destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) surgery (n = 5). F The miR-23b-3p levels in cartilage and SCB osteocytes from human LS/HS tissues (n = 20). G The miR-23b-3p levels in cartilage and SCB osteocytes from mice with DMM surgery (n = 6). H The pre-miR-23b-3p levels in cartilage and SCB osteocytes from human LS/HS tissues (n = 20). I The pre-miR-23b-3p levels in cartilage and SCB osteocytes from mice with DMM surgery (n = 6). J Alcian blue staining. Scale bar in upper panel, 1 mm. Scale bar in lower panel, 2 mm. K Western blot analysis of COLII, ACAN, SOX9, MMP13 and ADAMTS5 protein expression in primary human and mouse chondrocytes transfected with nc or mimic (n = 3). L The schematic depicted the overexpression of miR-23b-3p in cartilage through intraarticular injection of rAAV5-miR-23b-3p-mcherry (rAAV5-miR-23b-3p) or negative control (rAAV5-nc) in 8-week-old male mice following DMM surgery (n = 8). M The Safranin O images of cartilage. Scale bar in upper panel, 200 μm. Scale bar in lower panel, 100 μm. Data are presented as the mean ± SD. Data was analyzed by unpaired two-tailed Student’s t-test (D, E, G, I and K) and paired two-tailed Student’s t-test (F and H). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.