GSE196628
Deletion of Tfam in Prx1-Cre expressing limb mesenchyme results in spontaneous bone fractures
Osteoblasts require substantial amounts of energy to synthesize bone matrix and coordinate the mineralization of the skeleton. This study analyzed the effect of mitochondrial dysfunction on bone formation in mouse limbs. The limb mesenchyme-specific Tfam knockout (Tfamf/f;Prx1-Cre: Tfam-cKO) mice were analyzed morphologically, and histologically and gene expression in the limb bones were assessed by in situ hybridization, quantitative real-time PCR and RNA sequencing. Moreover, we analyzed mitochondrial function of osteoblasts in Tfam-cKO mice by mitochondrial membrane potential assay and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observations. We investigated the pathogenesis of spontaneous bone fractures by immunohistochemical analysis, TEM observations and biomechanical examination. The forelimbs in Tfam-cKO mice were significantly shortened from birth and occurred spontaneous fractures within the first week after birth, resulting in severe limb deformities. Histologically, bone hypoplasia with decrease of matrix mineralization was apparent, and the expressions of type ? collagen and osteocalcin were decreased in the osteoblasts of Tfam-cKO mice although Runx2 expression was unchanged. Decreased type ? collagen deposition and mineralization in the matrix of the limb bones in Tfam-cKO mice was associated with marked mitochondrial dysfunction. Biomechanical analysis showed significantly lower Young's modulus and hardness due to poor apatite orientation in the bone tissue of Tfam-cKO mice. The mice with limb mesenchyme-specific Tfam deletion exhibited spontaneous limb bone fractures, resulting in severe limb deformities. Their bone fragility was caused by poor apatite orientation due to impaired osteoblasts differentiation and maturation. Overall design: mRNA profiles of humeral bone obtained from 6-day old control and Tfam-cKO mice were generated by deep sequencing, in triplicate, using Illumina Miseq.