Analysis and characterization of the functional TGFβ receptors required for BMP6-induced osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells

Abstract

Although BMP6 is highly capable of inducing osteogenicdifferentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs), themolecular mechanism involved remains to be fully elucidated.Using dominant negative (dn) mutant form of type I and type IITGFβ receptors, we demonstrated that three dn-type I receptors(dnALK2, dnALK3, dnALK6), and three dn-type II receptors(dnBMPRII, dnActRII, dnActRIIB), effectively diminished BMP6-induced osteogenic differentiation of MPCs. These findingssuggested that ALK2, ALK3, ALK6, BMPRII, ActRII and ActRIIBare essential for BMP6-induced osteogenic differentiation ofMPCs. However, MPCs in this study do not express ActRIIB.Moreover, RNA interference of ALK2, ALK3, ALK6, BMPRIIand ActRII inhibited BMP6-induced osteogenic differentiationin MPCs. Our results strongly suggested that BMP6-inducedosteogenic differentiation of MPCs is mediated by its functionalTGFβ receptors including ALK2, ALK3, ALK6, BMPRII, andActRII. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(2): 107-112]

Keywords

• BMP6
• Bone morphogenetic proteins
• Mesenchymal progenitor cells
• Osteogenic differentiation
• Transforming growth factor β receptor