title: Vitamin A and carotenoids stimulate differentiation of mouse osteoblastic cells.
abstract: The action of retinol and carotenoids on bone cells was investigation in vitro by evaluating cell growth, alkaline phosphatase activity and the mRNA expression of a differentiation marker protein of osteoblastic cells. The clonal osteogenic cell line MC3T3-E1, established from newborn mouse calvaria, has a capacity of differentiation into osteoblast and mineralization in vitro. Retinol and beta-carotene inhibited the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells as well as DNA synthesis of the cells in a dose-dependent manner. Retinol induced differentiation of the MC3T3-E1 cells, by increasing alkaline phosphatase activity dose dependently, in a range from 1 to 100nm. Beta-carotene increased alkaline phosphatase activity is a dose-related manner in a range from 0.1 to 5 microM. Osteopontin is one of the matrix proteins which osteoblasts produce. Retinol increased the expression of osteopontin mRNA in a range from 1 to 100 nm. Beta-carotene also increased osteopontin mRNA expression, reaching a plateau at 1 microM. The induction of differentiation of MC3T3-E11 cells by beta-carotene was dose-dependent but was two orders of magnitude less active than that produced by retinoids. Within the MC3T3-E1 cells, part of the beta-carotene was effectively converted into retinol. Alpha-carotene, canthaxanthin and lycopene also inhibited cell proliferation at 1 microM and increased alkaline phosphatase activity and osteopontin mRNA expression, but less potently so than beta-carotene. Retinol and carotenoids were concluded to have a direct stimulatory effect on the differentiation of osteoblasts at the physiological concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Tokyo Japan.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishimi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohmura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikegami
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004261:DNA Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D053495:Osteopontin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012795:Sialoglycoproteins; C506896:Spp1 protein, mouse; D053495:Osteopontin; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase