Glycogen synthase kinase 3β promotes osteogenic differentiation of murine adipose-derived stromal cells

PLoS One. 2013;8(1):e54551. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054551. Epub 2013 Jan 16.

Abstract

Although the role of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) in osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) is well-characterized as a negative regulator of β-catenin, its effect on osteogenesis of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) is poorly understood. Here, we show that GSK3β positively regulates osteogenic differentiation of murine ADSCs. Gain-of-function studies showed that GSK3β promotes in vitro osteogenesis of ADSCs. Regulation of GSK3β activity in ADSCs, either by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated GSK3β silencing or by pharmacological inhibitors, blunted osteogenesis and the expression of osteogenic markers. Importantly, we demonstrated that transgenic mice, engineered to overexpress the constitutively active GSK3β (GSK3β-S9A) mutant, exhibited a marked increase in osteogenesis, whereas expression of the catalytically inactive GSK3β (GSK3β-K85A) in mice inhibits osteogenic differentiation. Molecular analyses showed that the enhanced osteoblast differentiation induced by GSK3β was mediated by downregulation of β-catenin. Remarkably, β-catenin silencing enhances osteogenesis and osteoblast marker gene expression such as alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osterix. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a novel role for GSK3β in the regulation of osteogenic differentiation in ADSCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipocytes / cytology*
  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / genetics
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Osteogenesis / genetics
  • Osteogenesis / physiology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Stromal Cells / cytology*
  • Stromal Cells / metabolism*

Substances

  • GSK3B protein, human
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Gsk3b protein, mouse
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea Government (MEST; R0A-2008-000-20001-0; R31-2008-000-10010-0; No. 2012-0000952; No. 2010-0020577). JEH and RK were supported by the second stage of the Brain Korea 21 Project. SYL is grateful for LG Yonam Foundation for the visiting scholarship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.