MiR-218 promotes osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cell through activation of Wnt signaling by targeting SFRP2

Increasing evidence supports that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the control of osteoblastic differentiation such as human adipose-derived stem cells and embryonic stem cells. However, the role of miRNAs in periodontal ligament stem cell (PDLSCs) differentiation remains poorly understood. Here, we present evidence that miR-218 acts as a positive regulator of PDLSCs osteogenesis. Real-time PCR shows that miR-218 was increased during PDLSCs differentiation. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR-218 promoted PDLSCs cells differentiation, whereas inhibition of miR-218 would suppress cell differentiation. Furthermore, we verified that miR-218 directly targeted SFRP2, which is a Wnt signaling pathway antagonist. Western blot analysis showed that the expression level of miR-218 was negatively correlated with that of SFRP2. Taken together, miR-218 is an important mediator of osteoblast differentiation, thus offering a new target for the development of preventive or therapeutic agents against osteogenic disorder.