核结合因子a1的调控机制

Cbfa1是骨发育过程中调节骨髓基质干细胞向成骨细胞分化和成熟的重要转录因子。Cbfa1的表达水平异常与骨骼系统疾病有关。体内体外实验证实多种通路(如Wnt/LRP5/-catenin,BMP/Smads,1,25-(OH)2-vitaminD3/VDR/VDRE途径)和调节蛋白(Msx2,Dlx5,Twists)在Cbfa1基因表达、活性和随后的骨形成过程中起关键作用。这些发现对调控成骨细胞分化和治疗骨质疏松以及其他伴有骨量改变的疾病治疗提供了新的思路,这些疾病有可能用控制Cbfa1表达来进行治疗。     

THSD4基因在小鼠间充质干细胞及MC3T3-E1细胞成骨分化中的作用

目的 探讨THSD4基因对小鼠间充质干细胞和MC3T3-E1细胞成骨分化的影响。方法 提取绝经后骨质疏松症患者的骨髓间充质干细胞进行基因测序分析,与骨关节炎患者的骨髓间充质干细胞进行比较,分析基因表达差异。通过提取不同分化阶段的小鼠骨髓间充质干细胞（M-BMSC）及MC3T3-E1细胞的mRNA来检测THSD4 基因以及成骨分化的标志性基因（ALP、Runx2、Osx）的表达水平。通过构建慢病毒表达载体来实现对M-BMSC及MC3T3-E1细胞中THSD4的敲减及过表达,并观察其对M-BMSC及MC3T3-E1细胞成骨分化能力的影响。结果 THSD4基因在绝经后骨质疏松症患者骨髓间充质干细胞中明显下调,且通过KEGG以及GO富集分析发现THSD4基因可能与PI3K-AKT信号通路及Wnt信号通路相关。随着成骨诱导分化时间的延长,THSD4 mRNA和成骨分化标志性基因（ALP、Runx2、Osx）mRNA在MC3T3-E1以及M-BMSC中表达量均逐渐增加。过表达THSD4可以增强MC3T3-E1细胞和M-BMSC的成骨分化能力,而敲减THSD4则减弱了MC3T3-E1细胞和M-BMSC的成骨分化能力。结论 THSD4基因在绝经后骨质疏松症患者骨髓间充质干细胞中明显下调,且THSD4基因可以增强MC3T3-E1细胞以及M-BMSC的成骨分化能力。     

核心结合因子α1对骨髓间充质干细胞成骨细胞标志基因表达的影响

目的探讨核心结合因子α1（core-binding factor α1，Cbfal）对骨髓间充质干细胞（mesenchymal stem cells．MSCs）成骨定向分化的作用。方法抽取3月龄日本大白兔股骨骨髓。密度梯度离心获得MSCs，以Cbfal重组腺病毒转染第3代MSCs．3d后免疫荧光法观察目的基因的表达，并于1～7dMTT法检测其对细胞增殖的影响（Cbfal腺病毒处理组）。以正常培养组、单纯诱导组和对照腺病毒处理组作为对照．各组设置7、14d两个时间点进行观察。RT—PCR法半定量分析Cbfal腺病毒处理对MSCs碱性磷酸酶（alkaline phosphatase．ALP）、骨钙素（osteocalcin。OC）、骨桥蛋白（ostcopontin．OPN）和Ⅰ型胶原等多种成骨细胞标志基因的影响．同时观察Cbfal对MSCs成脂、成肌分化指标过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ2和生肌决定因子的影响。结果①免疫荧光显示．转染Cbfal重组腺病毒后MSCs可以表达Cbfal；②各组MSCs增殖差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）；③RT—PCR显示7、14d，Cbfal腺病毒处理组ALP、OC和OPN的表达均明显上调，Ⅰ型胶原的表达基本不变；④Cbfal使PPARγ、MyoD的表达受到抑制。结论Cbfal能明显促进MSCs成骨方向的分化。     

Differentiation of human marrow stromal precursor cells: bone morphogenetic protein-2 increases OSF2/CBFA1, enhances osteoblast commitment, and inhibits late adipocyte maturation.

Because regulation of the differentiation to osteoblasts and adipocytes from a common progenitor in bone marrow stroma is poorly understood, we assessed effects of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) on a conditionally immortalized human marrow stromal cell line, hMS(2-6), which is capable of differentiation to either lineage. BMP-2 did not affect hMS(2-6) cell proliferation but enhanced osteoblast differentiation as assessed by a 1.8-fold increase in expression of OSF2/CBFA1 (a gene involved in commitment to the osteoblast pathway), by increased mRNA expression and protein secretion for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), type I procollagen and osteocalcin (OC) (except for OC protein), and by increased mineralized nodule formation. Transient transfection with Osf2/Cbfa1 antisense oligonucleotide substantially reduced BMP-2-stimulated expression of ALP mRNA and protein. The effects of BMP-2 on adipocyte differentiation varied: expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2 (a gene involved in commitment to the adipocyte pathway) was unchanged, mRNA expression of the early differentiation marker, lipoprotein lipase, was increased, and mRNA and protein levels of the late differentiation marker, leptin, and the formation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets were decreased. Thus, by enhancing osteoblast commitment and by inhibiting late adipocyte maturation, BMP-2 acts to shunt uncommitted marrow stromal precursor cells from the adipocyte to the osteoblast differentiation pathway.     

IL-6 negatively regulates osteoblast differentiation through the SHP2/MEK2 and SHP2/Akt2 pathways in vitro

It has been suggested that interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including osteoporosis not only in inflamed joints but also in the whole body. However, previous in vitro studies regarding the effects of IL-6 on osteoblast differentiation are inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine the effects and signal transduction of IL-6 on osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells and primary murine calvarial osteoblasts. IL-6 and its soluble receptor significantly reduced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, the expression of osteoblastic genes (Runx2, osterix, and osteocalcin), and mineralization in a dose-dependent manner, which indicates negative effects of IL-6 on osteoblast differentiation. Signal transduction studies demonstrated that IL-6 activated not only two major signaling pathways, SHP2/MEK/ERK and JAK/STAT3, but also the SHP2/PI3K/Akt2 signaling pathway. The negative effect of IL-6 on osteoblast differentiation was restored by inhibition of MEK as well as PI3K, while it was enhanced by inhibition of STAT3. Knockdown of MEK2 and Akt2 transfected with siRNA enhanced ALP activity and gene expression of Runx2. These results indicate that IL-6 negatively regulates osteoblast differentiation through SHP2/MEK2/ERK and SHP2/PI3K/Akt2 pathways, while affecting it positively through JAK/STAT3. Inhibition of MEK2 and Akt2 signaling in osteoblasts might be of potential use in the treatment of osteoporosis in RA.