LGR4 acts as a key receptor for R-spondin 2 to promote osteogenesis through Wnt signaling pathway

Abstract

R-spondin proteins are identified as secreted agonists of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptors (LGR) are recognized as R-spondin receptors. The potential role of R-spondin 2 (Rspo2) and LGR4 in mediating osteogenesis remains poorly understood. In our in vitro experiments, we found that Rspo2 could promote osteogenesis through activating the Wnt signaling pathway in MC3T3-E1 cells. However, this effect of Rsop2 disappeared in the cells with functional disruption of LGR4. Meanwhile, Rspo2 significantly inhibited osteoclastogenesis and this effect of Rspo2 was dependent on the presence of osteoblasts with normal function of LGR4. In our in vivo experiments, we found that application of exogenous Rspo2 rescued the bone loss and improved the microarchitecture of bone in OVX mice. Rspo2 could be a positive regulator of bone metabolism through activating the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and LGR4 acted as a key receptor for Rspo2 to promote osteogenesis.

Keywords: LGR4; Osteoblast; Osteoclast; R-spondin 2; Wnt/β-catenin signaling.