Implication of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand in Wnt/β-catenin pathway promoting osteoblast-like cell differentiation.
10.1007/s11596-012-1040-4
- Author:
Bin NIE
1
;
Shaoqiong ZHOU
;
Xin FANG
;
Wei LI
;
Bin WANG
;
Siming GUAN
Author Information
1. Department of Geriatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. ziqing2002@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Animals;
Cell Differentiation;
drug effects;
Cells, Cultured;
Osteoblasts;
drug effects;
metabolism;
Osteogenesis;
drug effects;
RANK Ligand;
metabolism;
Rats;
Signal Transduction;
drug effects;
Wnt Signaling Pathway;
drug effects;
beta Catenin;
metabolism
- From:
Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Medical Sciences)
2012;32(6):818-822
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Recent studies showed that activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway promoted the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells in the arterial calcification, but its mechanism remains unknown. In this study, the hypothesis that Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells by upregulating the expression of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) was examined. LiCl was used to activate the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. The differentiation of osteoblast-like cells was observed by Von Kossa staining, calcium content assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay, and detection of osteocalcin expression. Real-time PCR was performed to detect the expression of RANKL and osteoprotegerin (OPG, the decoy receptor of RANKL) during the osteoblast-like cell differentiation. Different concentrations of OPG were added to the culture media respectively to inhibit the function of RANKL, and the change in the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells was evaluated. The results showed that when the Wnt/β-catenin pathway was activated by LiCl, the expression of RANKL was significantly increased, which coincided with the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells (P<0.05), and the OPG treatment could partly attenuate the promoting effect of Wnt/β-catenin pathway on the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells (P<0.05), but it failed to completely abolish such effect. It was concluded that activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes the differentiation of osteoblast-like cells by both RANKL-dependent and RANKL-independent mechanisms.
