Abstract:
The purpose of this research study was to investigate PGJ2 metabolites as
arachidonic acid metabolites and gene expression in response to mechanical load
and clotting stimuli in osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1). The effect of clotting
stimuli on bone cells was determined by stimulating cells with 10 U/ml of α-
thrombin. The effect of mechanical load on bone cells was determined by
stretching cells with a Flexcell Strain Unit. COX-inhibitors and exogenous PGJ2
were used to examine the role of cyclopentenone on growth factors at a
transcriptional level. Cells and cell media were collected from 15 seconds to 72
hours. Levels of mRNA of genes of interest were determined by reverse
transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). PGJ2 metabolites were
identified by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).
cDNA microarrays were used to examine the pattern of gene expression.
Statistical analysis used was unpaired Student’s t-test.
Results revealed that thrombin enhanced the increase in prostacyclin
(PGI2) secretion significantly (p<0.05). Thrombin also stimulated the expression
of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), platelet derived growth factor A and B mRNA
levels significantly, but not BMP-2/6 and significantly down-regulated COX-1
mRNA expression level (p<0.05). Mechanical loading stimulated prostacyclin
(PGI2), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) syntheses. The
levels of COXs, PDGFs, BMPs, PGD2 synthase and peroxisome proliferatoractivated
receptor gamma-1 (PPARγ-1) mRNA expression were significantly
increased when a 1% strain was applied to bone cells (p<0.05). Only BMP-2 and
PDGF-A were significantly affected by COX-inhibitors. The up-regulated genes
were involved in cell growth and differentiation and maintenance. The downregulated
genes were involved in the suppression of growth and differentiation.
These findings suggest that mechanical stress may play an important role
in bone formation and regeneration via biochemical transduction pathways that
initially involve the activation of cyclooxygenases (COXs) and subsequent
cascade of growth factor synthesis