Facilitation of human osteoblast apoptosis by sulindac and indomethacin under hypoxic injury

Hypoxic–ischemia injury occurs after trauma causes consequential bone necrosis. Non‐steroid anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used in orthopedic clinics for pain relief. However, the underlying mechanism and outcome for usage of NSAIDs is poorly understood. To investigate the damage and loss of osteoblast function in hypoxia, two hypoxia mimetics, cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) and desferrioxamine (DFO), were used to create an in vitro hypoxic microenvironment. The cell damage was observed by decreases of cell viability and increases in cyclooxygenase‐2 and cleaved poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP). Cell apoptosis was confirmed by WST‐1 cytotoxic assays and flow cytometry. The functional expression of osteoblast in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was significantly decreased by CoCl₂ and inhibited when treated with DFO. To simulate the use of NSAID after hypoxic injury, four types of anti‐inflammatory drugs, sulindac sulfide (SUL), indomethacin (IND), aspirin (Asp), and sodium salicylate (NaS), were applied to osteoblasts after 1 h of hypoxia mimetic treatment. SUL and IND further enhanced cell death after hypoxia. ALP activity was totally abolished in hypoxic osteoblasts under IND treatment. Facilitation of osteoblast apoptosis occurred regardless of IND dosage under hypoxic conditions. To investigate osteoblast in vivo, local hypoxia was created by fracture of tibia and then treated the injured mice with IND by oral feeding. IND‐induced osteoblast apoptosis was confirmed by positive staining of TUNEL assay in fractured mice. Significant delay of fracture healing in bone tissue was also observed with the treatment of IND. These results provide information pertaining to choosing appropriate anti‐inflammatory drugs for orthopedic patients. J. Cell. Biochem. 113: 148–155, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

alpha7 integrin expressing human fetal myogenic progenitors have stem cell-like properties and are capable of osteogenic differentiation

During muscle development, precursor cells fuse to form myofibers. Following injury in adult muscle, quiescent satellite cells become activated to regenerate muscle in a fashion similar to fetal development. Recent studies indicate that murine skeletal myoblasts can differentiate along multiple cell lineages including the osteoblastic pathway. However, little is known about the multipotency of human myogenic cells. Here, we isolate myogenic precursor cells from human fetal and adult muscle by sorting for the laminin-binding alpha7 integrin and demonstrate their differentiation potential and alteration in adhesive behavior. The alpha7-positive human fetal progenitors were efficient at forming myotubes and a majority expressed known muscle markers including M-cadherin and c-Met, but were heterogeneous for desmin and MyoD expression. To test their pluripotent differentiation potential, enriched populations of alpha7-positive fetal cells were subjected to inductive protocols. Although the myoblasts appeared committed to a muscle lineage, they could be converted to differentiate along the osteoblastic pathway in the presence of BMP-2. Interestingly, osteogenic cells showed altered adhesion and migratory activity that reflected growth factor-induced changes in integrin expression. These results indicate that alpha7-expressing fetal myoblasts are capable of differentiation to osteoblast lineage with a coordinated switch in integrin profiles and may represent a mechanism that promotes homing and recruitment of myogenic stem cells for tissue repair and remodeling.     

PKR-mediated degradation of STAT1 regulates osteoblast differentiation

The double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) plays a critical role in various biological responses including antiviral defense, cell differentiation, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. In this study, we investigated whether PKR could affect the post-translational modifications of STAT1 protein and whether these modifications regulate osteoblast differentiation. We demonstrated that PKR was necessary for the ubiquitination of STAT1 protein. The expressions of bone-related genes such as type I collagen, integrin binding sialoprotein, osteopontin, and osterix were suppressed in osteoblasts lacking PKR activity. In contrast, the expressions of interleukin-6 and matrix metalloproteinases 8 and 13 increased in PKR-mutated osteoblasts. The expression and degradation of STAT1 protein were regulated by PKR in a SLIM-dependent pathway. Inhibition of SLIM by RNA interference resulted in the decreased activity of Runx2 in osteoblasts. Stimulation of interleukin-6 expression and suppression of alkaline phosphatase activity were regulated through by SLIM-dependent pathway. However, expressions of bone-related genes and MMPs were regulated by SLIM-independent pathway. Our present results suggest that the aberrant accumulation of STAT1 protein induced by loss of PKR regulate osteoblast differentiation through both SLIM/STAT1-dependent and -independent pathways.     

Functional role of acetylcholine and the expression of cholinergic receptors and components in osteoblasts

Recent studies have indicated that acetylcholine (ACh) plays a vital role in various tissues, while the role of ACh in bone metabolism remains unclear. Here we demonstrated that ACh induced cell proliferation and reduced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity via nicotinic (nAChRs) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in osteoblasts. We detected mRNA expression of several nAChRs and mAChRs. Furthermore, we showed that cholinergic components were up-regulated and subunits/subtypes of acetylcholine receptors altered during osteoblast differentiation. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that osteoblasts express specific acetylcholine receptors and cholinergic components and that ACh plays a possible role in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.     

真皮成纤维细胞成骨分化的实验研究

目的比较不同诱导剂对真皮成纤维细胞成骨分化的不同影响,探讨成纤维细胞成骨分化机制。方法取新生大鼠皮肤进行组织块培养,真皮成纤维细胞分离培养及鉴定,并分别由地塞米松、1,25(OH)2D3以及地塞米松和1,25(OH)2D3进行成骨分化诱导。分别于诱导后14d行ALP含量测定,21d行茜素红染色,并进行TAZ表达检测。结果真皮成纤维细胞表达波形蛋白,不表达角蛋白;成纤维细胞诱导14d后,1,25(OH)2D3诱导组及地塞米松+1,25(OH)2D3诱导组ALP含量与对照组有显著差异;成骨诱导21d,地塞米松诱导组仅见少量散在红色钙结节形成,1,25(OH)2D3诱导组钙结节数量增高,地塞米松+1,25(OH)2D3诱导组钙结节数量明显增高,直径变大;1,25(OH)2D3诱导组及地塞米松+1,25(OH)2D3诱导组,经TAZ免疫荧光染色,可见部分细胞核表达TAZ。结论地塞米松可促进1,25(OH)2D3诱导真皮成纤维细胞成骨分化。     

Deficiency of Chemokine Receptor CCR1 Causes Osteopenia Due to Impaired Functions of Osteoclasts and Osteoblasts

Chemokines are characterized by the homing activity of leukocytes to targeted inflammation sites. Recent research indicates that chemokines play more divergent roles in various phases of pathogenesis as well as immune reactions. The chemokine receptor, CCR1, and its ligands are thought to be involved in inflammatory bone destruction, but their physiological roles in the bone metabolism in vivo have not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the roles of CCR1 in bone metabolism using CCR1-deficient mice. Ccr1^−/− mice have fewer and thinner trabecular bones and low mineral bone density in cancellous bones. The lack of CCR1 affects the differentiation and function of osteoblasts. Runx2, Atf4, Osteopontin, and Osteonectin were significantly up-regulated in Ccr1^−/− mice despite sustained expression of Osterix and reduced expression of Osteocalcin, suggesting a lower potential for differentiation into mature osteoblasts. In addition, mineralized nodule formation was markedly disrupted in cultured osteoblastic cells isolated from Ccr1^−/− mice. Osteoclastogenesis induced from cultured Ccr1^−/− bone marrow cells yielded fewer and smaller osteoclasts due to the abrogated cell-fusion. Ccr1^−/− osteoclasts exerted no osteolytic activity concomitant with reduced expressions of Rank and its downstream targets, implying that the defective osteoclastogenesis is involved in the bone phenotype in Ccr1^−/− mice. The co-culture of wild-type osteoclast precursors with Ccr1^−/− osteoblasts failed to facilitate osteoclastogenesis. This finding is most likely due to a reduction in Rankl expression. These observations suggest that the axis of CCR1 and its ligands are likely to be involved in cross-talk between osteoclasts and osteoblasts by modulating the RANK-RANKL-mediated interaction.