Essential role of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in cathepsin K gene expression during osteoclastogenesis through association of NFATc1 and PU.1.
The receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) induces various osteoclast-specific marker genes during osteoclast differentiation mediated by mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades. However, the results of transcriptional programming of an osteoclast-specific cathepsin K gene are inconclusive. Here we report the regulatory mechanisms of RANKL-induced cathepsin K gene expression during osteoclastogenesis in a p38 MAP kinase-dependent manner. The reporter gene analysis with sequential 5'-deletion constructs of the cathepsin K gene promoter indicates that limited sets of the transcription factors such as NFATc1, PU.1, and microphthalmia transcription factor indeed enhance synergistically the gene expression when overexpressed in RAW264 cells. In addition, the activation of p38 MAP kinase is required for the maximum enhancement of the gene expression. RANKL-induced NFATc1 forms a complex with PU.1 in nuclei of osteoclasts following the nuclear accumulation of NFATc1 phosphorylated by the activated p38 MAP kinase. These results suggest that the RANKL-induced cathepsin K gene expression is cooperatively regulated by the combination of the transcription factors and p38 MAP kinase in a gradual manner.
Department of Molecular Biology, Saitama Medical School, Saitama, Japan. masam@saitama-med.ac.jp
Masahito
M
Matsumoto
Masakazu
M
Kogawa
Seiki
S
Wada
Hiroshi
H
Takayanagi
Masafumi
M
Tsujimoto
Shigehiro
S
Katayama
Koji
K
Hisatake
Yasuhisa
Y
Nogi
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D056657:Cathepsin K; D002403:Cathepsins / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000502:physiology*; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D056657:Cathepsin K; D002403:Cathepsins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D051739:Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1; C497234:MITF protein, human; C497235:Mitf protein, mouse; C494003:NFATC1 protein, human; C494005:Nfatc1 protein, mouse; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; C505687:Tnfrsf11a protein, mouse; C505689:Tnfsf11 protein, mouse; C534130:CTSK protein, human; C534132:Ctsk protein, mouse