Exosomal MicroRNA-23-5p Derived from Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Relieves Inflammatory Response in Rheumatoid Arthritis

We aimed to explore the mechanism underlying microRNA-23-5p from exosomes (exo-miR-23-5p) of BMSCs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The candidate related genes of miR-23-5p were screened in RA by bioinformatics analysis through gain- and loss-function method along with analysis of histopathological changes in mice and RAC2 expression as well as the level of pro-inflammatory factors. In vivo RA model was established to detect miR-23-5p's effect on RA. miR-23-5p level was significantly reduced in RA cells and RAC2 was highly expressed. Expression of RAC2 was inhibited and targeted by miR-23-5p in RA. Exo-miR-23-5p treatment effectively alleviated joint destruction, reduced inflammatory factor secretion in tissues and serum, as well as decreased RAC2 expression in RA model. In conclusion, the miR-23-5p in the BMSC-exo delays the inflammatory response in RA, indicating that it might be a new target for treating RA.