title: Involvement of ERK in BMP-2 induced osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cell line C3H10T1/2.
abstract: The signaling mechanisms responsible for bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) induced osteoblast differentiation remains poorly understood. Previous research demonstrated that Smad proteins are the substrates and the mediators of BMP bound serine/threonine receptor kinase. In the present study, we examined the possible involvement of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) in the BMP induced osteoblast differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cell C3H10T1/2. Our results indicate that BMP-2 inducement increased MAP kinase activity in mesenchymal progenitor cell line C3H10T1/2. Contrary to previous reports, this increased MAP kinase activity showed a latent but sustained pattern. Elevation of Erk1 and Erk2 protein levels was observed simultaneously. RT-PCR results demonstrated that the elevation of Erk protein level in BMP-2 induced cells was from the upregulation of mRNA expression. Furthermore, upregulated Erk proteins present enhanced phosphorylation. By using a dominant-negative Erk2 cell line, we demonstrated that nonfunctional Erk2 partially eliminated BMP-2 induced cell proliferation and ALP activity in the C3H10T1/2 cell. These results indicate that Erk is involved in BMP-2 induced osteoblast differentiation. The results also demonstrate that a latent and sustained signaling pattern exists in BMP induced signaling cascade.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. louj@msnotes.wustl.edu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Manske
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: C525719:Bmp2 protein, mouse; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases