Berberine coated mannosylated liposomes curtail RANKL stimulated osteoclastogenesis through the modulation of GSK3β pathway via upregulating miR-23a

Drug-induced MicroRNAs manifest significant therapeutic approaches; however, such progress in the treatment of osteopathic disorders including osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis still remains obscure. Contrarily, non-specific drug delivery, at high doses, increases the risk of side effects and reduces drug therapeutic efficacy. Accordingly, the present study was designed to examine the therapeutic effect of berberine coated mannosylated liposomes (ML-BBR) on RANKL (100 ng/ml) stimulated bone marrow-derived monocytes/macrophages (BMMs) via altering miR-23a expression. Initial studies using confocal microscopy showed successful internalization of ML-BBR in RANKL stimulated BMMs. Treatment with ML-BBR abrogated the increased osteoclast formation in BMM cells via inhibiting phosphorylated glutathione synthase kinase beta (p-GSK3β) mediated NFATc1 activation. Consequently, ML-BBR also attenuated the expression of bone-degrading enzymes (TRAP, Cathepsin K and MMP-9) thereby inhibiting the bone resorptive activity of osteoclasts. Moreover, ML-BBR induced the expression levels of miR-23a at the gene level, which in turn attenuated GSK3β/p-GSK3β expression as confirmed via blotting analysis. Further miR-23a inhibition of the GSK3β phosphorylation was confirmed using luciferase reporter assay. Comparatively, LY2090314 (GSK3β inhibitor) treatment inhibited the protein level expression of GSK3β/p-GSK3β. However, LY2090314 treatment induced a basal level expression of miR-23a owing to the suggestion that ML-BBR has an influential role in upregulating miR-23a level to inhibit GSK-3β phosphorylation. Cumulatively, our findings endorsed that preferential internalization of ML-BBR by BMMs effectively modulated the RANKL/p-GSK3β pathway and curtailed the osteoclast-mediated bone erosion possibly through post-transcriptional gene silencing via miR-23a.