title: Disruption of cell-matrix interactions by heparin enhances mesenchymal progenitor adipocyte differentiation.
abstract: Differentiation of marrow-derived mesenchymal progenitors to either the osteoblast or adipocyte lineage is reciprocally regulated. Factors that promote osteoblastogenesis inhibit adipogenesis, while adipogenic factors are inhibitory to osteoblast differentiation. Heparin, a soluble glycosaminoglycan, inhibits bone formation in vivo and osteoblast cell differentiation and function in vitro, and has been shown to promote adipocyte differentiation. To elucidate the role that heparin plays in the adipogenic induction of murine mesenchymal progenitors, we studied immortalized marrow stromal cells (IM-MSC), the MSC cell line, ST2, and 3T3L1 pre-adipocytes. Heparin alone was not sufficient to induce adipogenesis, but enhanced the induction under a variety of adipogenic cocktails. This effect was both dose- and time-dependent. Heparin showed a positive effect at concentrations > 0.1 microg/ml when applied before day 3 during the induction course. Heparin's effect on adipogenesis was independent of cell proliferation, cell density, and extracellular lipid. This effect is likely related to the unique structure of heparin because another polyanionic glycosaminoglycan, dextran sulfate, did not promote adipogenic differentiation. Heparin treatment altered morphology and adhesion characteristics of progenitor cells, resulting in cell rounding and aggregation. As well, heparin counteracted the known inhibitory effect of fibronectin on adipogenesis and decreased basal focal adhesion kinase and paxillin phosphorylation. We conclude that heparin-mediated disruption of cell-matrix adhesion enhances adipogenic potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Medical School, University of Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Hailu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shitaye
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Christina N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Ormond A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Macdougald
authors.forename: Kurt D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Hankenson
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin; D016264:Dextran Sulfate