Oxidative stress modulates osteoblastic differentiation of vascular and bone cells

Oxidative stress may regulate cellular function in multiple pathological conditions, including atherosclerosis. One feature of the atherosclerotic plaque is calcium mineral deposition, which appears to result from the differentiation of vascular osteoblastic cells, calcifying vascular cells (CVC). To determine the role of oxidative stress in regulating the activity of CVC, we treated these cells with hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) or xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XXO) and assessed their effects on intracellular oxidative stress, differentiation, and mineralization. These agents increased intracellular oxidative stress as determined by 2,7 dichlorofluorescein fluorescence, and enhanced osteoblastic differentiation of vascular cells, based on alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization. In contrast, H(2)O(2) and XXO resulted in inhibition of differentiation markers in bone osteoblastic cells, MC3T3-E1, and marrow stromal cells, M2-10B4, while increasing oxidative stress. In addition, minimally oxidized low-density lipoprotein (MM-LDL), previously shown to enhance vascular cell and inhibit bone cell differentiation, also increased intracellular oxidative stress in the three cell types. These effects of XXO and MM-LDL were counteracted by the antioxidants Trolox and pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate. These results suggest that oxidative stress modulates differentiation of vascular and bone cells oppositely, which may explain the parallel buildup and loss of calcification, seen in vascular calcification and osteoporosis, respectively.     

Proteomics analysis identifies PARK7 as an important player for renal cell resistance and survival under oxidative stress

Renal fibrosis is a process that is characterized by declining excretory renal function. The molecular mechanisms of fibrosis are not fully understood. Oxidative stress pathways were reported to be involved in renal tissue deterioration and fibrosis progression. In order to identify new molecular targets associated with oxidative stress and renal fibrosis, differential proteomics analysis was performed with established renal cell lines (TK173 and HK-2). The cells were treated with oxidative stress triggering factor H(2)O(2) and the proteome alterations were investigated. Two dimensional protein maps were generated and differentially expressed proteins were processed and identified using mass spectrometry analysis combined with data base search. Interestingly the increase of ROS in the renal cell lines upon H(2)O(2) treatment was accompanied by alteration of a large number of proteins, which could be classified in three categories: the first category grouped the proteins that have been described to be involved in fibrogenesis (e.g. ACTA2, VIN, VIM, DES, KRT, COL1A1, COL4A1), the second category, which was more interesting involved proteins of the oxidative stress pathway (PRDX1, PRDX2, PRDX6, SOD, PARK7, HYOU1), which were highly up-regulated under oxidative stress, and the third category represented proteins, which are involved in different other metabolic pathways. Among the oxidative stress proteins the up-regulation of PARK7 was accompanied by a shift in the pI as a result of oxidation. Knockdown of PARK7 using siRNA led to significant reduction in renal cell viability under oxidative stress. Under H(2)O(2) treatment the PARK7 knockdown cells showed up to 80% decrease in cell viability and an increase in apoptosis compared to the controls. These results highlight for the first time the important role of PARK7 in oxidative stress resistance in renal cells.     

Investigating Conversion of Endplate Chondrocytes Induced by Intermittent Cyclic Mechanical Unconfined Compression in Three-Dimensional Cultures

Mechanical stimulation is known to regulate the calcification of endplate chondrocytes. The Ank protein has a strong influence on anti-calcification by transports intracellular inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) to the extracellular matrix. It is known that TGF-β1 is able to induce Ank gene expression and protect chondrocyte calcification. Intermittent cyclic mechanical tension (ICMT) could induce calcification of endplate chondrocytes by decrease the expression of Ank gene. In this study, we investigated the relation of intermittent cyclic mechanical unconfined compression (ICMC) and Ank gene expression. We found that ICMC decreased the Ank gene expression in the endplate chondrocytes, and there was an decreased in the TGF-β1 expression after ICMC stimulation. The Ank gene expression significantly increased when treated by transforming growth factor alpha 1 (TGF-β1) in a dose-dependent manner and decreased when treated by SB431542 (ALK inhibitor) in a dose-dependent manner. Our results implicate that ICMC-induced downregulation of Ank gene expression may be regulated by TGF-β1 in end-plate chondrocytes.Key words: Endplate chondrocytes, ICMC, Ank, TGF-β     

氧化应激对Hsp90α、ARF1 细胞内定位和相互作用的影响

目的:探讨氧化应激对热休克蛋白90α(Hsp90α)与ADP-核糖基化因子1(ARF1)细胞内定位、相互作用的影响。方法:应用500μM H2O2处理HepG2细胞,建立氧化应激模型,MTT比色法检测细胞活力,Western blotting检测Hsp90α和ARF1水平,细胞免疫荧光法、免疫共沉淀检测上述蛋白在氧化应激下的分布、共定位变化和相互作用。结果:MTT比色法结果提示,随氧化应激时间延长,细胞存活力降低;Western blotting结果显示,氧化应激可提高胞内Hsp90α和ARF1蛋白水平;免疫共沉淀结果显示,随氧化应激作用时间延长,Hsp90α与ARF1相互结合增多;细胞免疫荧光结果显示,随氧化应激作用时间延长,Hsp90α与ARF1荧光强度增强,并趋于沿胞膜分布。结论:提示氧化应激影响Hsp90α和ARF1的水平、胞内分布及相互作用。     

Nrf2/HO-1信号通路在人诱导性多能干细胞氧化应激中的作用

氧化应激是诱导性多能干细胞(induced pluripotent stem cell, iPSC)在培养和应用中遇到的一个关键问题,探讨其作用机制具有重要的理论和实践意义。目前有关iPSC氧化应激的研究相对较少,Nrf2/HO-1信号通路在其中的作用尚不明了。因此,本研究以不同浓度的H2O2(100、200、300、400 μmol/L)处理人iPSC(hiPSC),分别在4 h和24 h于倒置显微镜下观察hiPSC及其饲养层细胞SNL氧化损伤的程度,通过碱性磷酸酶（alkaline phosphatase, AP）试剂盒和超氧化物阴离子荧光探针,分别检测hiPSC多能性和细胞活性氧(reactive oxygen species, ROS)水平,并通过qRT-PCR检测H2O2处理4 h后早期应激状态下Nrf2和HO 1 mRNA的表达水平,免疫细胞化学和Western印迹检测p-Nrf2和HO-1蛋白质的表达量。结果表明：hiPSC和SNL细胞的ROS水平呈H2O2剂量依赖性升高。除了100 μmol/L H2O2组hiPSC的细胞形态和多能性保持较好外,其余浓度H2O2均导致hiPSC出现不同程度损伤和死亡。但与SNL细胞相比,hiPSC中ROS水平相对较低,细胞状态也相对较好。SNL细胞中Nrf2和HO-1-mRNA表达的变化幅度与H2O2浓度呈线性相关,而hiPSC中Nrf2和HO-1表达的变化幅度与H2O2浓度之间并未呈现线性相关,其中Nrf2在100 μmol/L H2O2组表达量最高,而HO-1在200 μmol/L H2O2组表达量最高,意味着hiPSC氧化应激调控机制的复杂性。综上结果表明,hiPSC具有较好的抗氧化能力,其相关机制与Nrf2/HO-1信号通路有关,同时也可能涉及到其它相关通路的交互作用。     

Upregulation of Daxx mediates apoptosis in response to oxidative stress

Oxidative stress induces apoptosis in a variety of cell types by as yet unclear signaling mechanisms. The Daxx protein is reportedly involved in apoptosis through its interactions with Fas, transforming growth factor-beta receptor, and promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML). Here, we explored the possible roles of Daxx in oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. We found that both the mRNA and protein levels of Daxx markedly increased when cells underwent apoptosis after H2O2 treatment. Pretreatment with the cell-permeable antioxidant, N-acetyl cysteine, prevented cells from H2O2-induced Daxx upregulation and subsequent apoptosis, indicating that the endogenous oxidant regulated Daxx expression. Furthermore, suppression of endogenous Daxx expression by antisense oligonucleotide technology inhibited oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. Taken together, these results suggest that Daxx acts as an intermediary messenger of pro-apoptotic signals triggered by oxidative stress.     

TNF-α and IL-1β inhibit RUNX2 and collagen expression but increase alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization in human mesenchymal stem cells

AimsJoint inflammation leads to bone erosion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), whereas it induces new bone formation in spondyloarthropathies (SpAs). Our aims were to clarify the effects of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) on osteoblast differentiation and mineralization in human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).Main methodsIn MSCs, expression of osteoblast markers was assessed by real-time PCR and ELISA. Activity of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and mineralization were determined by the method of Lowry and alizarin red staining respectively. Involvement of RUNX2 in cytokine effects was investigated in osteoblast-like cells transfected with a dominant negative construct.Key findingsTNF-α (from 0.1 to 10 ng/ml) and IL-1β (from 0.1 to 1 ng/ml) stimulated TNAP activity and mineralization in MSCs. Addition of 50 ng/ml of IL-1 receptor antagonist in TNF-α-treated cultures did not reverse TNF-α effects, indicating that IL-1 was not involved in TNF-α-stimulated TNAP activity. Both TNF-α and IL-1β decreased RUNX2 expression and osteocalcin secretion, suggesting that RUNX2 was not involved in mineralization. This hypothesis was confirmed in osteoblast-like cells expressing a dominant negative RUNX2, in which TNAP expression and activity were not reduced. Finally, since mineralization may merely rely on increased TNAP activity in a collagen-rich tissue, we investigated cytokine effects on collagen expression, and observed that cytokines decreased collagen expression in osteoblasts from MSC cultures.SignificanceThe different effects of cytokines on TNAP activity and collagen expression may therefore help explain why inflammation decreases bone formation in RA whereas it induces ectopic ossification from collagen-rich entheses during SpAs.     

Ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 (ENPP1) protein regulates osteoblast differentiation

ENPP1 (ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1) is an established regulator of tissue mineralization. Previous studies demonstrated that ENPP1 is expressed in differentiated osteoblasts and that ENPP1 influences matrix mineralization by increasing extracellular levels of inorganic pyrophosphate. ENPP1 is also expressed in osteoblastic precursor cells when stimulated with FGF2, but the role of ENPP1 in preosteoblastic and other precursor cells is unknown. Here we investigate the function of ENPP1 in preosteoblasts. We find that ENPP1 expression is critical for osteoblastic differentiation and that this effect is not mediated by changes in extracellular concentration levels of phosphate or pyrophosphate or ENPP1 catalytic activity. MC3T3E1(C4) preosteoblastic cells, in which ENPP1 expression was suppressed by ENPP1-specific shRNA, and calvarial cells isolated from Enpp1 knock-out mice show defective osteoblastic differentiation upon stimulation with ascorbate, as indicated by a lack of cellular morphological change, a lack of osteoblast marker gene expression, and an inability to mineralize matrix. Additionally, MC3T3E1(C4) cells, in which wild type or catalytic inactive ENPP1 expression was increased, exhibited an increased tendency to differentiate, as evidenced by increased osteoblast marker gene expression and increased mineralization. Notably, treatment of cells with inorganic phosphate or pyrophosphate inhibited, as opposed to enhanced, expression of multiple genes that are expressed in association with osteoblast differentiation, matrix deposition, and mineralization. Our results indicate that ENPP1 plays multiple and distinct roles in the development of mineralized tissues and that the influence of ENPP1 on osteoblast differentiation and gene expression may include a mechanism that is independent of its catalytic activity.     

The functional co-operativity of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and PHOSPHO1 during initiation of skeletal mineralization.

Phosphatases are recognized to have important functions in the initiation of skeletal mineralization. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) and PHOSPHO1 are indispensable for bone and cartilage mineralization but their functional relationship in the mineralization process remains unclear. In this study, we have used osteoblast and ex-vivo metatarsal cultures to obtain biochemical evidence for co-operativity and cross-talk between PHOSPHO1 and TNAP in the initiation of mineralization. Clones 14 and 24 of the MC3T3-E1 cell line were used in the initial studies. Clone 14 cells expressed high levels of PHOSPHO1 and low levels of TNAP and in the presence of β-glycerol phosphate (βGP) or phosphocholine (P-Cho) as substrates and they mineralized their matrix strongly. In contrast clone 24 cells expressed high levels of TNAP and low levels of PHOSPHO1 and mineralized their matrix poorly. Lentiviral Phospho1 overexpression in clone 24 cells resulted in higher PHOSPHO1 and TNAP protein expression and increased levels of matrix mineralization. To uncouple the roles of PHOSPHO1 and TNAP in promoting matrix mineralization we used PHOSPHO1 (MLS-0263839) and TNAP (MLS-0038949) specific inhibitors, which individually reduced mineralization levels of Phospho1 overexpressing C24 cells, whereas the simultaneous addition of both inhibitors essentially abolished matrix mineralization (85%; P<0.001). Using metatarsals from E15 mice as a physiological ex vivo model of mineralization, the response to both TNAP and PHOSPHO1 inhibitors appeared to be substrate dependent. Nevertheless, in the presence of βGP, mineralization was reduced by the TNAP inhibitor alone and almost completely eliminated by the co-incubation of both inhibitors. These data suggest critical non-redundant roles for PHOSPHO1 and TNAP during the initiation of osteoblast and chondrocyte mineralization.     

Salidroside protects against hydrogen peroxide-induced injury in cardiac H9c2 cells via PI3K-Akt dependent pathway

Oxidative stress induces serious tissue injury in cardiovascular diseases. Salidroside, with its strong antioxidative and cytoprotective actions, is of particular interest in the development of antioxidative therapies for oxidative injury in cardiac diseases. We examined the pharmacological effects of salidroside on H9c2 rat cardiomyoblast cells under conditions of oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) challenge. Salidroside attenuated H2O2-impaired cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner, and effectively inhibited cellular malondialdehyde production, lethal sarcolemmal disruption, cell necrosis, and apoptosis induced by H2O2 insult. Salidroside significantly augmented Akt phosphorylation at Serine 473 in the absence or presence of H2O2 stimulation; wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of PI3K, abrogated salidroside protection. Salidroside increased the intracellular mRNA expression and activities of catalase and Mn-superoxide dismutases in a PI3K-dependent manner. Our results indicated that salidroside protected cardiomyocytes against oxidative injury through activating the PI3K/Akt pathway and increasing the expression and activities of endogenous PI3K dependent antioxidant enzymes.     

Effect of various radical generators on insulin-dependent regulation of hepatic gene expression

Oxidative stress is recognized to be associated with the development of insulin resistance. Although free radicals are generated in various ways in vivo, very few radical generators have been used to investigate the effect of oxidative stress on cellular insulin signaling. In order to compare the effect of radical generators with different sites and durations of radical formation on liver insulin action, primary cultured rat hepatocytes were incubated with radical generators and insulin-dependent regulation of gene expression was examined. The hydrophobic 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (AMVN) radical and H2O2 increased plasma membrane damage, and the hydrophilic 2-2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) radical and buthionine sulfoxyimine (BSO) increased oxidation of intracellular substances. Paraquat (PQ) and H2O2 inhibited insulin-dependent repression of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene expression. These results indicate that PQ and H2O2 impair insulin action effectively and are suitable for examining crosstalk between oxidative stress and insulin signaling in liver-cell culture systems.