Adenoviral down-regulation of osteopontin inhibits human osteoclast differentiation in vitro

Microcalcifications in breast cancer: Lessons from physiological mineralization

Mammographic mammary microcalcifications are routinely used for the early detection of breast cancer, however the mechanisms by which they form remain unclear. Two species of mammary microcalcifications have been identified; calcium oxalate and hydroxyapatite. Calcium oxalate is mostly associated with benign lesions of the breast, whereas hydroxyapatite is associated with both benign and malignant tumors. The way in which hydroxyapatite forms within mammary tissue remains largely unexplored, however lessons can be learned from the process of physiological mineralization. Normal physiological mineralization by osteoblasts results in hydroxyapatite deposition in bone. This review brings together existing knowledge from the field of physiological mineralization and juxtaposes it with our current understanding of the genesis of mammary microcalcifications. As an increasing number of breast cancers are being detected in their non-palpable stage through mammographic microcalcifications, it is important that future studies investigate the underlying mechanisms of their formation in order to fully understand the significance of this unique early marker of breast cancer.

Osteopontin regulates α-smooth muscle actin and calponin in vascular smooth muscle cells

vSMCs (vascular smooth muscle cells) lose differentiation markers and gain uncontrolled proliferative activity during the early stages of atherosclerosis. Previous studies have shown that OPN (osteopontin) mRNA and protein levels increase significantly on induction of proliferative activity by allylamine (an atherogenic amine) and that this response can be inhibited by OPN antibodies. We have investigated the role of OPN in vSMC differentiation. Primary cultures of aortic mouse vSMCs were transfected with an OPN expression plasmid and several vSMC differentiation markers including α-SM actin (α-smooth muscle actin), SM22-α, tropomyosin and calponin were monitored in this cellular model. α-SM actin and calponin protein levels were significantly decreased by OPN overexpression. Down-regulation of α-SM actin and calponin was also observed on extracellular treatment of mouse vSMCs with recombinant OPN. In addition, calponin mRNA was significantly decreased under serum-restricted conditions when OPN mRNA was dramatically increased, while α-SM actin mRNA remained unchanged. These data indicate that OPN down-regulates α-SM actin and calponin expression through an extracellular signalling pathway. Functional connectivity between OPN and vSMC differentiation markers has been established. Since vSMCs lose differentiation features during early atherosclerosis, a mechanistic basis for OPN functions as a critical regulator of proliferative cardiovascular disease has been presented.

Degradation, bioactivity, and osteogenic potential of composites made of PLGA and two different sol-gel bioactive glasses

We have developed poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) based composites using sol–gel derived bioactive glasses (S-BG), previously described by our group, as composite components. Two different composite types were manufactured that contained either S2—high content silica S-BG, or A2—high content lime S-BG. The composites were evaluated in the form of sheets and 3D scaffolds. Sheets containing 12, 21, and 33 vol.% of each bioactive glass were characterized for mechanical properties, wettability, hydrolytic degradation, and surface bioactivity. Sheets containing A2 S-BG rapidly formed a hydroxyapatite surface layer after incubation in simulated body fluid. The incorporation of either S-BG increased the tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the composites and tailored their degradation rates compared to starting compounds. Sheets and 3D scaffolds were evaluated for their ability to support growth of human bone marrow cells (BMC) and MG-63 cells, respectively. Cells were grown in non-differentiating, osteogenic or osteoclast-inducing conditions. Osteogenesis was induced with either recombinant human BMP-2 or dexamethasone, and osteoclast formation with M-CSF. BMC viability was lower at higher S-BG content, though specific ALP/cell was significantly higher on PLGA/A2-33 composites. Composites containing S2 S-BG enhanced calcification of extracellular matrix by BMC, whereas incorporation of A2 S-BG in the composites promoted osteoclast formation from BMC. MG-63 osteoblast-like cells seeded in porous scaffolds containing S2 maintained viability and secreted collagen and calcium throughout the scaffolds. Overall, the presented data show functional versatility of the composites studied and indicate their potential to design a wide variety of implant materials differing in physico-chemical properties and biological applications. We propose these sol–gel derived bioactive glass–PLGA composites may prove excellent potential orthopedic and dental biomaterials supporting bone formation and remodeling.

The influence of surface mineral and osteopontin on the formation and function of murine bone marrow-derived osteoclasts

The phosphorylated glycoprotein osteopontin (OPN) is involved in the regulation of biomineralization under normal and pathological conditions. Its actions include inhibiting apatite crystal growth and promoting the formation and function of mineral resorbing cells, including osteoclasts (OCL). The purpose of this study was to develop stable apatitic mineral surfaces and determine their influence on OCL formation and mineral resorption from bone marrow macrophages derived from OPN wild-type (OPN+/+) and OPN deficient (OPN-/-) mice. We demonstrated that these mineral coatings were stable and supported bone marrow-derived macrophage differentiation to OCL under our culture conditions. Macrophages harvested from OPN-/- mice had a greater capacity to form OCL than macrophages from OPN+/+ mice when allowed to differentiate on tissue culture plastic. In contrast, when allowed to differentiate on a mineral surface, no difference in OCL formation was observed. Interestingly, OPN+/+ OCL were more efficient at mineral dissolution than OPN-/- OCL, and this difference was observed regardless of differentiating surface. Our results suggest that mineralized substrates as well as ability to synthesize OPN both control OCL function in our model system. The exact nature of these effects may be dependent on variables related to mineral substrate presentation.

Sol–gel bioactive glasses support both osteoblast and osteoclast formation from human bone marrow cells

We have examined the ability of bioactive sol-gel glass ceramics to support both osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation from human bone marrow cells (HBMC). Nucleated cells from human bone marrow were cultured on tissue culture plastic and on two sol-gel coatings: A2 glass-ceramic containing 54 mol % CaO/40 mol % SiO(2) and S2 glass-ceramic containing 16 mol % CaO/80 mol % SiO(2). Osteoblast differentiation was followed by measuring alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, mRNA levels for ALP, osteopontin, RANK ligand (RANKL), and immunofluorescent co-localization of ALP and RANKL. Osteoclasts were identified by morphology and positive staining for tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). ALP activity and mRNA levels were similar for cells on A2 coatings and on tissue culture plastic, but mRNA levels of osteopontin and RANKL were tenfold higher on A2 than on plastic. Cultures on A2 coatings also contained multinucleated osteoclasts staining positively for TRAP. In contrast, cells cultured on S2 coatings had the characteristics of more differentiated osteoblasts as measured by higher ALP expression. However, the levels of osteopontin and RANKL mRNA on S2 glass were lower than on A2 glass and there were fewer, weakly staining TRAP-positive multinucleate cells. Thus, sol-gel glass-ceramic materials differing in CaO/SiO(2) ratios can produce markedly different effects on the osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation from HBMC.

Transcript profiles of dendritic cells of PLOSL patients link demyelinating CNS disorders with abnormalities in pathways of actin bundling and immune response

Rare monogenic dementias have repeatedly exposed novel pathways guiding to details of the molecular pathogenesis behind this complex clinical phenotype. In this paper, we have studied polycystic lipomembranous osteodysplasia with sclerosing leukoencephalopathy (PLOSL), an early onset dementia with bone fractures caused by mutations in TYROBP (DAP12) and TREM2 genes, which encode important signaling molecules in human dendritic cells (DCs). To identify the pathways and biological processes associated with DAP12/TREM2-mediated signaling, we performed genome wide transcript analysis of in vitro differentiated DCs of PLOSL patients representing functional knockouts of either DAP12 or TREM2. Both DAP12- and TREM2-deficient cells differentiated into DCs and responded to pathogenic stimuli. However, the DCs showed morphological differences compared to control cells due to defects in the actin filaments. Not unexpectedly, transcript profiles of the patient DCs showed differential expression of genes involved in immune response. Importantly, significantly diverging transcript levels were also evident for genes earlier associated with other disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) and genes involved in the remodeling of bone, linking these two immunological genes with critical tissue phenotypes of patients. The data underline the functional diversity of the molecules of the innate immune system and implies their significant contribution also in demyelinating CNS disorders, including those resulting in dementia.

Osteopontin localizes to the nucleus of 293 cells and associates with polo-like kinase-1

Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphoprotein involved in cellular proliferation and associated with tumor progression. Although an intracellular form of OPN has been described, its function remains unknown. In this study, a novel nuclear location for intracellular OPN and a correlation with cell division were demonstrated. OPN distinctly localized to the nucleus in a subset of transiently transfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Immunoblotting confirmed the nuclear location of native OPN, and results from immunofluorescence studies suggested an association between nuclear OPN and cell cycle progression. Flow cytometry revealed that nuclear and cellular OPN content rose significantly during the S and G(2)/M phases, respectively. Treatment of cells with the DNA polymerase inhibitor aphidicolin prevented cell cycling and greatly reduced cellular OPN content. The intracellular location of OPN coincided with polo-like kinase-1 (Plk-1), a member of the polo-like kinase family, which, in part through their regulation of centrosome-related events, are integral to successful cellular mitosis. OPN and Plk-1 were coimmunoprecipitated from nuclear, but not cystoslic, extracts, demonstrating an interaction that is limited to the nucleus, presumably during mitosis. Deletion of the COOH terminus of OPN militated against nuclear localization and Plk-1 interaction. Elevated expression of OPN was also associated with an increase in the number of multinucleate 293 cells, whereas transfection of the COOH-terminal-deleted OPN decreased the percentage of multinucleate cells below basal levels. These findings implicate intranuclear OPN as a participant in the process of cell duplication.

Override of the osteoclast defect in osteopontin-deficient mice by metastatic tumor growth in the bone

Osteopontin (OPN) is a major noncollagenous protein of bone that is frequently up-regulated in tumors, where it enhances tumor growth. OPN-deficient mice are resistant to stimulated bone resorption, including that occurring after ovariectomy. Using a new syngeneic model of bone metastasis (r3T), we examined whether OPN-deficient mice are similarly resistant to bone loss resulting from osteolytic tumor growth. Transformed mammary epithelial cells, r3T, which express parathyroid hormone-related protein but not receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand, were injected via the intracardiac route into both wild-type and OPN-/- mice. We measured tumor burden in the bone by quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay and evaluated bone loss by X-ray and microCT. Unexpectedly, bone loss was similar in OPN-/- and wild-type mice bearing similar-sized tumors. Osteoclast number was comparable in both genotypes, and the expression of bone sialoprotein was similar in tumor-bearing bones of both genotypes, excluding two potential mechanisms of overriding the defect. Taken together, these results indicate that in the absence of OPN, the bone loss associated with tumor growth at the bone site proceeds rapidly despite the osteoclast defects documented in OPN-/- mice, suggesting that the mechanism of bone loss due to tumor growth differs from that occurring in other pathologies.

A distinctive alveolar macrophage activation state induced by cigarette smoking

RATIONALE

Macrophages are believed to play a central role in emphysema based largely on data from mouse models. However, the relevance of these models to smoking-related lung disease in humans is uncertain.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to comprehensively characterize the effects of smoking on gene expression in human alveolar macrophages and to compare these with effects seen in transgenic mouse models of emphysema.

METHODS

We used DNA microarrays with genomewide coverage to analyze alveolar macrophages from 15 smokers, 15 nonsmokers, and 15 subjects with asthma (disease control). Selected gene expression changes were validated by polymerase chain reaction and ELISA. Expression changes were compared with those identified by microarray analysis of interleukin-13-overexpressing and integrin-beta6-deficient mice, which both develop emphysema.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

All 15 smokers shared a common pattern of macrophage gene expression that distinguished them from nonsmokers, a finding not observed in subjects with asthma. We identified 110 genes as differentially expressed in smokers despite using conservative statistical methods. Matrix metalloproteinase 12, a proteinase that plays a critical role in mouse models, was the third most highly induced gene in smokers (ninefold, p < 0.0001). However, most changes in smokers were not reflected in mouse models. One such finding was increased osteopontin expression in smokers (fourfold, p = 0.006), which was confirmed at the protein level and correlated with the degree of airway obstruction.

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking induces a remarkably consistent and distinctive pattern of alveolar macrophage activation. These studies identify aspects of mouse models that are directly relevant to human smokers and also reveal novel potential mediators of smoking-related diseases.