Wnt3a is a crucial modulator of bone metabolism through the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in bone-forming osteoblasts. We previously reported that the expression of osteocalcin is stimulated by triiodothyronine (T3) at least in part through the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase but not p44/p42 MAP kinase in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Wnt3a on the T3-induced osteocalcin expression in these cells. Wnt3a suppressed the release of osteocalcin induced by T3. The inhibitory effect of Wnt3a was dose-dependent between 0.3 and 30 ng/ml. SB216763, an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3β, that reduces the phosphorylation of β-catenin, inhibited the T3-induced osteocalcin release. Wnt3a, as well as SB216763, reduced the expression of osteocalcin mRNA induced by T3. The transcriptional activity induced by T3, assessed by a luciferase activity, was also suppressed by both Wnt3a and SB216763. In contrast, Wnt3a did not markedly affect the T3-stimulated phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase. These results suggested that Wnt3a downregulates the T3-stimulated osteocalcin expression in MC3T3-E1 cells, and the suppressive effect of Wnt3a is independent of p38 MAP kinase.
Keywords: Wnt3a; osteoblast; osteocalcin; triiodothyronine.