OBJECTIVETo systemically investigate receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) induced differentiation of osteoclasts.

METHODSMouse protein-protein interaction(PPI) database NIA and published microarray dataset GES16749 were used to construct and analyze PPI network of RANKL and M-CSF induced mouse monocyte RAW264.7.

RESULTSIn the PPI network, transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGFBR1), Rous sarcoma oncogene (SRC), myelocytomatosis oncogene(MYC) and integrin beta 3 (ITGB3) were able to interact with more proteins and they were the key nodes in the signaling transduction.

CONCLUSIONTGFBR1, SRC, MYC and ITGB3 might be the key points of RANKL and M-CSF induced differentiation of osteoclasts.

Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; Cell Differentiation ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; Mice ; Osteoclasts ; Protein Interaction Maps ; RANK Ligand ; Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B