Laboratory of Molecular Signaling and Stem Cells Therapy, Beijing Key Laboratory for Tooth Regeneration and Function Reconstruction of Oral Tissues, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
Department of Implant Dentistry, Capital Medical University School of Stomatology, Beijing, China.
Cell Prolif. 2019 Jan;52(1):e12522. doi: 10.1111/cpr.12522. Epub 2018 Nov 15.
Bone regeneration by bone tissue engineering is a therapeutic option for bone defects. Improving the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is essential for successful bone regeneration. We previously showed that AP2a enhances the osteogenic differentiation in MSCs. The present study investigated the mechanism of how AP2a regulates the direct differentiation.
Co-immunoprecipitation and ChIP assays were carried out to investigate the underlying mechanism in MSCs differentiation. The osteogenic differentiation potential was determined by mineralization ability and the expression of osteogenic marker in vitro and the in vivo bone-like tissue generation in nude mice.
We show that AP2a can compete with RUNX2, a key transcription factor in osteogenic differentiation, to recruit YAP and release the inhibition of RUNX2 activity from YAP by forming YAP-AP2a protein complex. YAP-AP2a protein complex also interacts with the BARX1 promoter through AP2a, inhibit the transcription of BARX1. Moreover, BARX1 inhibits osteogenic differentiation of MSCs.
Our discoveries revealed that AP2a may regulate the osteogenic differentiation in an indirect way through competing with RUNX2 to relieve the RUNX2 activity which inhibited by YAP, and also in a direct way via targeting the BARX1 and directly repressed its transcription. Thus, our discoveries shed new light on the mechanism of direct differentiation of MSCs and provide candidate targets for improving the osteogenic differentiation and enhancing bone tissue regeneration.
通过骨组织工程进行骨再生是治疗骨缺损的一种选择。提高间充质干细胞(MSCs)的成骨分化能力对于成功的骨再生至关重要。我们之前表明 AP2a 可增强 MSCs 的成骨分化。本研究探讨了 AP2a 调节直接分化的机制。
通过共免疫沉淀和 ChIP 测定来研究 MSC 分化中的潜在机制。通过体外矿化能力和骨形成标志物的表达以及裸鼠体内骨样组织的生成来确定成骨分化潜能。
我们表明,AP2a 可以与 RUNX2(成骨分化的关键转录因子)竞争,通过形成 YAP-AP2a 蛋白复合物,招募 YAP 并释放 YAP 对 RUNX2 活性的抑制。YAP-AP2a 蛋白复合物还通过 AP2a 与 BARX1 启动子相互作用,抑制 BARX1 的转录。此外,BARX1 抑制 MSCs 的成骨分化。
我们的发现表明,AP2a 可能通过与 RUNX2 竞争来间接调节成骨分化,从而缓解被 YAP 抑制的 RUNX2 活性,并且还可以通过靶向 BARX1 并直接抑制其转录来直接调节成骨分化。因此,我们的发现为 MSCs 的直接分化机制提供了新的见解,并为提高成骨分化和增强骨组织再生提供了候选靶点。