title: Taurine promotes connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression in osteoblasts through the ERK signal pathway.
abstract: Taurine is found in bone tissue, but its function in skeletal tissue is not fully understood. The present study was undertaken to investigate regulation of gene expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), and the roles of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in murine osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells treated with taurine. Western blot analysis showed taurine stimulated CTGF protein secretion in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Taurine induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), but not p38 and c-jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK), in osteoblasts. Furthermore, pretreatment of osteoblasts with the ERK inhibitor PD98059 abolished the taurine-induced CTGF production. These data indicate that taurine induces CTGF secretion in MC3T3-E1 cells mediated by the ERK pathway, and suggest that osteoblasts are direct targets of taurine.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, The Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: L-Q
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: X-H
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: X-P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: E-Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Liao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C526318:CCN2 protein, mouse; D005419:Flavonoids; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; D013654:Taurine; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; C093973:2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one