Spatial and temporal distribution of CD44 and osteopontin in fracture callus

Giant Cells of Various Lesions Are Characterised by Different Expression Patterns of HLA-Molecules and Molecules Involved in the Cell Cycle, Bone Metabolism, and Lineage Affiliation: An Immunohistochemical Study with a Review of the Literature

Giant cells (GCs) are thought to originate from the fusion of monocytic lineage cells and arise amid multiple backgrounds. To compare GCs of different origins, we immunohistochemically characterised the GCs of reactive and neoplastic lesions (n = 47). We studied the expression of 15 molecules including HLA class II molecules those relevant to the cell cycle, bone metabolism and lineage affiliation. HLA-DR was detectable in the GCs of sarcoidosis, sarcoid-like lesions, tuberculosis, and foreign body granuloma. Cyclin D1 was expressed by the GCs of neoplastic lesions as well as the GCs of bony callus, fibroid epulis, and brown tumours. While cyclin E was detected in the GCs of all lesions, p16 and p21 showed a heterogeneous expression pattern. RANK was expressed by the GCs of all lesions except sarcoid-like lesions and xanthogranuloma. All GCs were RANK-L-negative, and the GCs of all lesions were osteoprotegerin-positive. Osteonectin was limited to the GCs of chondroblastoma. Osteopontin and TRAP were detected in the GCs of all lesions except xanthogranuloma. RUNX2 was heterogeneously expressed in the reactive and neoplastic cohort. The GCs of all lesions except foreign body granuloma expressed CD68, and all GCs were CD163- and langerin-negative. This profiling points to a functional diversity of GCs despite their similar morphology.

Impact of a modified implant macrogeometry on biomechanical parameters and bone-related markers in rats

This study investigated the impact of a modified implant macrogeometry on peri-implant healing and its effect on bone-related molecules in rats. Eighteen rats received one implant in each tibia: the control group received implants with conventional macrogeometry and the test group received implants with modified macrogeometry. After 30 days, the implants were removed for biomechanical analysis and the bone tissue around them was collected for quantifying gene expression of OPN, Runx2, β-catenin, BMP-2, Dkk1, and RANKL/OPG. Calcein and tetracycline fluorescent markers were used for analyzing newly formed bone at undecalcified sections of the tibial implants. These fluorescent markers showed continuous bone formation at cortical bone width and sparse new bone formed along the medullary implant surface in both groups. However, higher counter-torque values and upregulation of OPN expression were achieved by test implants when compared to controls. The modified macrogeometry of implants optimized peri-implant healing, favoring the modulation of OPN expression in the osseous tissue around the implants.

Targeting angiogenesis for fracture nonunion treatment in inflammatory disease

Atrophic fracture nonunion poses a significant clinical problem with limited therapeutic interventions. In this study, we developed a unique nonunion model with high clinical relevance using serum transfer-induced rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Arthritic mice displayed fracture nonunion with the absence of fracture callus, diminished angiogenesis and fibrotic scar tissue formation leading to the failure of biomechanical properties, representing the major manifestations of atrophic nonunion in the clinic. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that the angiogenesis defect observed in RA mice was due to the downregulation of SPP1 and CXCL12 in chondrocytes, as evidenced by the restoration of angiogenesis upon SPP1 and CXCL12 treatment in vitro. In this regard, we developed a biodegradable scaffold loaded with SPP1 and CXCL12, which displayed a beneficial effect on angiogenesis and fracture repair in mice despite the presence of inflammation. Hence, these findings strongly suggest that the sustained release of SPP1 and CXCL12 represents an effective therapeutic approach to treat impaired angiogenesis and fracture nonunion under inflammatory conditions.

Alcohol exposure decreases osteopontin expression during fracture healing and osteopontin-mediated mesenchymal stem cell migration in vitro

BACKGROUND

Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for impaired fracture healing, though the mechanism(s) by which this occurs are not well understood. Our laboratory has previously shown that episodic alcohol exposure of rodents negatively affects fracture callus development, callus biomechanics, and cellular signaling which regulates stem cell differentiation. Here, we examine whether alcohol alters chemokine expression and/or signaling activity in the mouse fracture callus during early fracture healing.

METHODS

A mouse model for alcohol-impaired tibia fracture healing was utilized. Early fracture callus was examined for alcohol-effects on tissue composition, expression of chemokines involved in MSC migration to the fracture site, and biomechanics. The effects of alcohol on MSC migration and cell adhesion receptors were examined in an in vitro system.

RESULTS

Mice exposed to alcohol showed decreased evidence of external callus formation, decreased callus-related osteopontin (OPN) expression levels, and decreased biomechanical stiffness. Alcohol exposure decreased rOPN-mediated MSC migration and integrin β1 receptor expression in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of alcohol exposure demonstrated here on fracture callus-associated OPN expression, rOPN-mediated MSC migration in vitro, and MSC integrin β1 receptor expression in vitro have not been previously reported. Understanding the effects of alcohol exposure on the early stages of fracture repair may allow timely initiation of treatment to mitigate the long-term complications of delayed healing and/or fracture non-union.

Expression of CD44v6 as matrix-associated ectodomain in the bone development

This study describes the expression of CD44v6 in the bone development and is the first study of its kind to the authors' best knowledge. The CD44 family is a family of transmembrane glycoproteins that acts as cell adhesion molecules binding cells to other cells as well as cells to the extracellular matrix. It has been suggested that the CD44v6, a family member of CD44, is closely related to the osteosarcoma metastasis. In general, when cancer cells metastasize, they revert to their immature forms. In the present study, therefore, we have investigated CD44v6 and the standard form of CD44 (CD44st) in two types of immature forms of bone tissues: developmentally immature stages from fetuses to adults as well as experimentally immature stages using fracture models. CD44st expression was identified in osteoblasts, osteocytes, and in the peripheral portion of the bone matrix from the fetal to young ages of rats. Many more intense reactions for CD44v6 were observed in the bone matrix than CD44st in fetal stages. In experimental fracture models, positive immunoreactions to CD44st were clearly observed in the osteoblasts and osteocytes. CD44v6-positive immunoreactivity, however, was not detected in either osteoblasts or the bone matrix. In conclusion, CD44v6 is expressed in the embryonic stages and may be involved in the bone matrix formation as a matrix-associated ectodomain during normal ontogenetic development but not involved in the process of fracture healing.

Molecular basis for affected cartilage formation and bone union in fracture healing of the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat

Most studies have focused on the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired osseous healing, but there is also evidence that diabetes impairs cartilage formation during fracture healing. To investigate the molecular mechanisms by which diabetes affects endochondral ossification, experiments were performed in a model of rat closed fracture healing complicated with diabetes. Diabetic rats were created by a single intravenous injection of streptozotocin (STZ), while controls were treated with vehicle alone. Fractures were made 2 weeks after STZ injection. Animals were killed at 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28 and 42 days following fracture, and samples were subject to radiographic, histological and molecular analyses. In the DM group, a significantly smaller cartilaginous callus was formed compared with controls throughout healing, with the cartilage area being reduced rapidly after day 14. When the bone union rate was evaluated radiographically on day 28, DM calluses exhibited a lower rate than controls. However, when evaluated on day 42, both groups showed an equivalent union rate. Cellular proliferation of chondroprogenitor cells and proliferating chondrocytes in soft calluses of the DM group was significantly reduced during early stages of healing (days 4 and 7), but no longer reduced thereafter. Moreover, expression levels of collagen type II, type X and osteopontin (OPN) were constantly low in the DM group. These results show the molecular basis for diminished cartilage formation and delayed union in fracture healing of the STZ-induced diabetic rats.

The homeoprotein engrailed 1 has pleiotropic functions in calvarial intramembranous bone formation and remodeling

The membranous bones of the mammalian skull vault arise from discrete condensations of neural crest- and mesodermally-derived cells. Recently, a number of homeodomain transcription factors have been identified as critical regulators of this process. Here, we show that the homeoprotein engrailed 1(EN1) is expressed during embryonic and perinatal craniofacial bone development, where it localizes to the skeletogenic mesenchyme, and,subsequently, to calvarial osteoblasts and osteoprogenitors. Mice lacking En1 exhibit generalized calvarial bone hypoplasia and persistent widening of the sutural joints. A reduction in calvarial membranous bone deposition and mineralization (osteopenia) is coupled to enhanced osteolytic resorption in En1 mutants. Consistent with these observations,expression of established osteoblast differentiation markers reveals that En1 function is required for both early and late phases of calvarial osteogenesis. Further analysis shows that EN1 regulates FGF signaling in calvarial osteoblasts. Moreover, EN1 indirectly influences calvarial osteoclast recruitment and bone resorption by regulating the expression of receptor activator of NFκB ligand (RANKL) in osteoblasts. Thus, during intramembranous bone formation, EN1 acts both cell autonomously and non-cell autonomously. In summary, this study identifies EN1 as a novel modulator of calvarial osteoblast differentiation and proliferation, processes that must be exquisitely balanced to ensure proper skull vault formation.

Bone formation in beta-tricalcium phosphate-filled bone defects of the rat femur: morphometric analysis and expression of bone related protein mRNA

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the bone formation when beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) was implanted in bone defects of rat femurs. beta-TCP granules were applied to defects created in the femurs of 65 male rats who were sacrificed 3, 7, 10, 14 or 30 days later. Bone tissues were embedded in paraffin, serial sections were cut and then stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Histomorphometric analyses were also conducted. Furthermore, total mRNAs were extracted, homogenized, and reverse transcribed, after which quantitative PCR assays were conducted with a LightCycler using the double-stranded DNA dye Syber Green I with primers for either rat osteopontin or osteocalcin. Tissues in defects without beta-TCP were used as controls. The amount of newly formed bone tissue in the beta-TCP implanted group was significantly greater in both the side areas and the central area of defects than in the control group. Expressions of osteopontin and osteocalcin mRNAs of cells in the defects of the experimental group were up-regulated compared with the control group at all time periods. Taken together, these results prove that beta-TCP is an appropriate material for osteoconduction and promotes bone formation in bone defects.

Spatial and temporal gene expression for fibroblast growth factor type I receptor (FGFR1) during fracture healing in the rat

Recent experiments have shown that exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) enlarges fracture callus and accelerates the healing of osteotomized long bones. The actions of bFGF are mediated by four different transmembrane receptors (FGFR1-4). Among them, FGFR1 has a high affinity for bFGF, and gain-of-function mutations of the FGFR1 gene cause craniosynostosis in humans. Gene expression for FGFR1 has been analyzed in embryogenesis; however, in skeletal repair, detailed expression of FGFR1 has not been fully established. In the present study, a rat model of closed femoral fracture healing was used to quantify mRNA encoding the FGFR1 and to characterize cells expressing FGFR1 by in situ hybridization. Gene expression for FGFR1 was rapidly upregulated after fracture; its mRNA level on day 1 was 3.4-fold higher than that of unfractured femora. At this stage, a moderate signal for FGFR1 was detected in periosteal osteoprogenitor cells, inflammatory cells near fracture sites, and cells among muscle layers. FGFR1 mRNA reached peak expression when callus remodeling actively progressed (6.8-fold on day 14), and remained elevated even in the later stages of healing (6.3-fold on day 28). During the intermediate stage of fracture healing, a strong signal for FGFR1 was diffusely distributed in mature osteoblasts in the hard callus, and mature osteoclasts also expressed a weak signal for FGFR1. These results suggest that FGF/FGFR1 signaling has multifunctional roles during fracture healing and may regulate both osteoblasts and osteoclasts, contributing to bone formation and callus remodeling.