Targeting ferroptosis to rescue osteogenic differentiation in BRONJ-affected jawbone mesenchymal stem cells: the role of miR-145-3p and exosome-mediated therapy
Oct 11, 2025Journal of nanobiotechnology
Stopping cell damage to restore bone-forming ability in jawbone stem cells affected by BRONJ using miR-145-3p and exosome therapy
BRONJ markedly compromised MSC viability while elevating hallmarks of .
Ferroptosis is linked to the dysfunction of jawbone-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in BRONJ.
Inhibition of ferroptosis restored MSC viability and enhanced their osteogenic capacity.
Exosome-mediated delivery of reinstated the regulatory circuit involving miR-145-3p and IREB2, promoting bone regeneration.
After local therapy for BRONJ, infused reprogrammed MSCs significantly increased bone mass in osteoporotic rats.
Engineering reprogrammed MSCs into constructs led to successful repair of critical-sized calvarial defects.
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BACKGROUND: Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is a severe, therapy-refractory condition driven by ferroptotic disruption of jawbone-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) biology. We dissect this mechanism to validate as a therapeutic target.
METHODS: We first demonstrated that is mechanistically coupled to ferroptosis and osteogenesis in BRONJ model by gain- and loss-of-function studies. To evaluate therapeutic efficacy under pathologically relevant conditions, we designed three models: (i) Local BRONJ repair model: miR-145-3p-enriched exosomes were encapsulated in an injectable hydrogel scaffold and grafted into necrotic alveolar bone to assess direct BRONJ resolution. After local BRONJ treatment, endogenous MSCs were re-isolated, and both cellular and exosomal miR-145-3p levels were quantified. (ii) Osteoporosis treatment model: The reprogrammed MSCs derived from treated BRONJ rats were then administered intravenously to osteoporotic littermates to evaluate whether these MSCs retain systemic osteogenic competence. (iii) Critical-sized calvarial defect repair model: To further dissect the intrinsic osteogenic capacity, reprogrammed MSCs derived from treated BRONJ rats were fabricated into cell-sheet/HA-TCP "sandwich" constructs and transplanted into calvarial defects.
RESULTS: BRONJ markedly compromised MSCs viability while elevating hallmarks of ferroptosis that were reversed by the ferroptosis inhibitor. Concomitantly, osteogenic capacity declined, as shown by reduced ALP activity, mineralized nodules, new bone formation and expression of RUNX2 and OCN. Mechanistically, we identified a miR-145-3p/IREB2 regulatory circuit that governs ferroptosis in BRONJ-derived MSCs; exosome-mediated delivery of miR-145-3p reinstated this axis, thereby reactivating the MSCs osteogenesis and driving in situ bone regeneration. Critically, after local BRONJ therapy, the reprogrammed MSCs were (i) infused via tail vein into osteoporotic rats, significantly elevating bone mass, and (ii) engineered into cell-sheet/HA-TCP "sandwich" constructs that achieved robust repair of critical-sized calvarial defects. These data establish exosomal miR-145-3p as a therapeutic that mitigates ferroptosis and restores the osteogenic competence of jawbone-derived MSCs for bone regeneration.
CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings establish the miR-145-3p/IREB2/ferroptosis axis as an important regulator of BRONJ pathology and demonstrate that exosomal delivery of miR-145-3p not only ameliorates localized BRONJ but also substantially reinstates the systemic osteogenic potential of jawbone-derived MSCs, offering a pre-clinical promising strategy to combat both BRONJ and associated bone loss disorders.
Key numbers
< 40%
Decrease in Viability
Viability of in -affected rats compared to controls.
2 ×
Increase in Bone Mass
Bone mass elevation in osteoporotic rats treated with reprogrammed .
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