title: Glucocorticoids induce autophagy in rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: Glucocorticoid‑induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is a widespread clinical complication following glucocorticoid therapy. This irreversible damage to bone‑forming and ‑resorbing cells is essential in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Autophagy is a physiological process involved in the regulation of cells and their responses to diverse stimuli, however, the role of autophagy in glucocorticoid‑induced damage to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) remains unclear. The current study confirmed that glucocorticoid administration impaired the proliferation of BMSCs. Transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis detected autophagy in vitro and in GIOP model rats (in vivo). With the addition of the autophagy inhibitor 3‑methyladenine, the proliferative ability of BMSCs was further reduced, while the number of apoptotic BMSCs was significantly increased. The data suggests that in response to glucocorticoid administration, induced autophagy aids to maintain proliferation and prevent apoptosis of BMSCs. Thus, it is hypothesized that autophagy may be a novel target in the treatment or prevention of osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, First Affiliated Hospital, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yan-Shui
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yun-Shan
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qi-Yue
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bo-Yuan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 Odense C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Orthopedic Surgery, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710032, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhuo-Jing
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone