Cthrc1 is a positive regulator of osteoblastic bone formation.
BACKGROUND
Bone mass is maintained by continuous remodeling through repeated cycles of bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts. This remodeling process is regulated by many systemic and local factors.


RESULTS
We identified collagen triple helix repeat containing-1 (Cthrc1) as a downstream target of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) in osteochondroprogenitor-like cells by PCR-based suppression subtractive hybridization followed by differential hybridization, and found that Cthrc1 was expressed in bone tissues in vivo. To investigate the role of Cthrc1 in bone, we generated Cthrc1-null mice and transgenic mice which overexpress Cthrc1 in osteoblasts (Cthrc1 transgenic mice). Microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) and bone histomorphometry analyses showed that Cthrc1-null mice displayed low bone mass as a result of decreased osteoblastic bone formation, whereas Cthrc1 transgenic mice displayed high bone mass by increase in osteoblastic bone formation. Osteoblast number was decreased in Cthrc1-null mice, and increased in Cthrc1 transgenic mice, respectively, while osteoclast number had no change in both mutant mice. In vitro, colony-forming unit (CFU) assays in bone marrow cells harvested from Cthrc1-null mice or Cthrc1 transgenic mice revealed that Cthrc1 stimulated differentiation and mineralization of osteoprogenitor cells. Expression levels of osteoblast specific genes, ALP, Col1a1, and Osteocalcin, in primary osteoblasts were decreased in Cthrc1-null mice and increased in Cthrc1 transgenic mice, respectively. Furthermore, BrdU incorporation assays showed that Cthrc1 accelerated osteoblast proliferation in vitro and in vivo. In addition, overexpression of Cthrc1 in the transgenic mice attenuated ovariectomy-induced bone loss.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that Cthrc1 increases bone mass as a positive regulator of osteoblastic bone formation and offers an anabolic approach for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Kimura
Hiroaki
H
Department of Orthopaedics, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Kwan
Kin Ming
KM
Zhang
Zhaoping
Z
Deng
Jian Min
JM
Darnay
Bryant G
BG
Behringer
Richard R
RR
Nakamura
Takashi
T
de Crombrugghe
Benoit
B
Akiyama
Haruhiko
H
D000818:Animals; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016678:Genome; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008954:Models, Biological; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D010012:Osteogenesis; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics
C502426:CTHRC1 protein, human; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins
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