LIGHT (TNFSF14) enhances osteogenesis of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

PLoS One. 2021 Feb 19;16(2):e0247368. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247368. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a progressive systemic skeletal disease associated with decreased bone mineral density and deterioration of bone quality, and it affects millions of people worldwide. Currently, it is treated mainly using antiresorptive and osteoanabolic agents. However, these drugs have severe adverse effects. Cell replacement therapy using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could serve as a treatment strategy for osteoporosis in the future. LIGHT (HVEM-L, TNFSF14, or CD258) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily. However, the effect of recombinant LIGHT (rhLIGHT) on osteogenesis in human bone marrow-derived MSCs (hBM-MSCs) is unknown. Therefore, we monitored the effects of LIGHT on osteogenesis of hBM-MSCs. Lymphotoxin-β receptor (LTβR), which is a LIGHT receptor, was constitutively expressed on the surface of hBM-MSCs. After rhLIGHT treatment, calcium and phosphate deposition in hBM-MSCs, stained by Alizarin red and von Kossa, respectively, significantly increased. We performed quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to examine the expressions of osteoprogenitor markers (RUNX2/CBFA1 and collagen I alpha 1) and osteoblast markers (alkaline phosphatase, osterix/Sp7, and osteocalcin) and immunoblotting to assess the underlying biological mechanisms following rhLIGHT treatment. We found that rhLIGHT treatment enhanced von Kossa- and Alizarin red-positive hBM-MSCs and induced the expression of diverse differentiation markers of osteogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. WNT/β-catenin pathway activation strongly mediated rhLIGHT-induced osteogenesis of hBM-MSCs, accelerating the differentiation of hBM-MSCs into osteocytes. In conclusion, the interaction between LIGHT and LTβR enhances osteogenesis of hBM-MSCs. Therefore, LIGHT might play an important role in stem cell therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Genetic Markers
  • Humans
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / genetics*
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor / metabolism*
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Osteoblasts / cytology
  • Osteoblasts / drug effects
  • Osteoblasts / metabolism
  • Osteogenesis*
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14 / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14 / pharmacology*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects

Substances

  • Genetic Markers
  • LTBR protein, human
  • Lymphotoxin beta Receptor
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • TNFSF14 protein, human
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF-2018R1D1A1B07051343, NRF-2017R1A1A3A04069314). The research was also supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the Biomedical Research Center, funded by the Ulsan University Hospital (UUHBRC-2016-001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.