1Alpha25(OH)2D3 interferes with retinoic acid-induced inhibition of c-fos gene expression for AP-1 formation in osteoblastic cells

Meteorin-Like Shows Unique Expression Pattern in Bone and Its Overexpression Inhibits Osteoblast Differentiation

The present study was performed to identify and characterize genes involved in osteoblasts function. Firstly, we constructed and sequenced a human osteoblast full-length cDNA library to screen for genes whose functions have not been reported and further identify these candidate genes through detecting the relationship with the activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor complex using a dual luciferase reporter system. Only one gene, namely METRNL (Meteorin, glial cell differentiation regulator-like) has been screened out. We performed immunohistochemistry to analyze expression patterns in bone and established a stable transfection MG63 cell line of METRNL-EGFP fusion protein overexpression to analyze the function of METRNL in mineralized nodule formation. Immunohistochemistry showed METRNL expression in hypertrophic chondrocytes and osteoblasts lining trabecular bone surfaces. Overexpression of METRNL inhibited mineralized nodule formation by the MG63 osteosarcoma cell line. Thus, the identified gene, METRNL, which is associated with AP-1 transcription factor complex activity, has a unique expression pattern in bone. In addition, the anomalous expression of METRNL may inhibit bone cell differentiation.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate acts as a signal molecule in ceramide signal transduction of TNF-alpha-induced activator protein-1 in osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 cells

We previously demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha stimulated the production of activation protein (AP)-1, a transcriptional factor, in mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. Recent studies have shown the importance of ceramide and its metabolites as signal molecules for TNF-alpha-induced gene expression in several cell types. Therefore, our interest was to investigate whether sphingosine metabolites are involved in TNF-alpha-induced signaling in MC3T3-E1 cells. DL-threo-1-phenyl-2-hexadecanoyl-amino-3-pyrrolidino-1-propanol (PPPP), which causes accumulation of intracellular ceramide, stimulated the TNF-alpha-induced expression of the c-fos and c-jun genes. Gel shift assay clearly showed that PPPP increased the cytokine-induced specific binding of nuclear proteins to the 12-tetra-decanoyl phorbol 13-acetate-responsive element (TRE), a consensus sequence for AP-1. In addition, cell-permeable ceramide (N-acetylsphingosine, N-hexanoylsphingosine or N-octanoylsphingosine) stimulated expression of the c-fos and c-jun genes and nuclear protein binding to TRE. Interestingly, DL-threo-dihydrosphingosine (DHS), an inhibitor of sphingosine kinase, clearly blocked the ceramide analogue-induced stimulation. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (SPP) actually induced expression of these oncogenes and activated AP-1. Although TNF-alpha stimulated the AP-1-mediated expression of the monocyte chemoattractant JE/MCP-1, this stimulation was inhibited by DHS. SPP also stimulated JE/MCP-1 gene expression. The present study thus suggests that SPP acts as a signal molecule in ceramide-dependent signal transduction in TNF-alpha-induced AP-1 in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.