Table 5.

Validated targets for gene silencing strategies aimed at enhancing chondrogenesis—microRNAs

Target	Biological effect of gene silencing	References
miR-30a	Increased expression of SOX9, collagen II, and GAGs production in human chondrocytes. Protection from inflammatory stimuli (IL-1β)	[38]
miR-145	Increased expression of SOX9 in human chondrocytes	[91]
miR-199a	Increased expression of SOX9, collagen II, and aggrecan in human chondrocytes and MSCs	[93, 125]
miR-495	Enhanced the TGF-β3-mediated chondrogenesis of hMSCs	[94]
miR-1247	Increased expression of SOX9 and collagen II in human chondrocytes	[95]
miR-194	Enhanced chondrogenesis of adipose tissue derived hMSCs. Increased expression of collagen II, IX, XI, aggrecan, and COMP	[96]
miR-34a	Increased synthesis of cartilage ECM (collagen II, GAGs) by limb bud mesenchymal cells. Protection of human chondrocytes from inflammatory stimuli (IL-1β)	[98, 100]
miR-142	Increased cell viability, proliferation, migration and precartilage condensation of mesenchymal cells	[99]
miR-375	Increased proliferation, migration and precartilage condensation of mesenchymal cells	[97]
miR-99a	Promotion of early chondrogenesis of rat MSCs with increased production of cartilage ECM (collagen II, aggrecan, GAGs)	[101]
miR-193b	Increased expression of SOX9, collagen II and aggrecan in human chondrocytes	[93]
miR-200a	Enhanced chondrogenesis in MCC cells and organ cultures, with increased levels of SOX9 and collagen II	[24]
miR-221	In vitro chondrogenesis of hMSCs in the absence of growth factors and without progression to hypertrophy. Enhanced hMSCs-mediated in vivo cartilage repair	[32, 60]
miR-222	Enhanced chondrogenesis and osteogenesis of hMSCs in vitro. Improved angiogenesis and bone union and healing in vivo	[102]
circRNA-CER	Increased expression of collagen II and aggrecan in human OA chondrocytes. Suppression of MMP13	[108]
lncRNA-CIR	Increased expression of collagen I, II, aggrecan and GAGs production in human OA chondrocytes. Suppression of MMP13 and ADAMTS5	[109]