Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) has a critical role in bone formation and osteoblast differentiation, but very little is known about the molecular mechanisms of ascorbic acid entry into bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the identity of the transport system that is responsible for the uptake of ascorbic acid into bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). First, we examined the expression of the two known isoforms of the sodium-coupled ascorbic acid transporter, namely SVCT1 and SVCT2, in BMSCs (Lin-ve Sca1+ve) and bone at the mRNA level. Only SVCT2 mRNA was detected in BMSCs and bone. Uptake of ascorbic acid in BMSCs was Na+-dependent and saturable. In order to define the role of SVCT2 in BMSC differentiation into osteoblasts, BMSCs were stimulated with osteogenic media for different time intervals, and the activity of SVCT2 was monitored by ascorbic acid uptake. SVCT2 expression was up-regulated during the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs; the expression was maximal at the earliest phase of differentiation. Subsequently, osteogenesis was inhibited in BMSCs upon knock-down of SVCT2 by lentivirus shRNA. We also found that the expression of the SVCT2 could be negatively or positively modulated by the presence of oxidant (Sin-1) or antioxidant (Ascorbic acid) compounds, respectively, in BMSCs. Furthermore, we found that this transporter is also regulated with age in mouse bone. These data show that SVCT2 plays a vital role in the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and that its expression is altered under conditions associated with redox reaction. Our findings could be relevant to bone tissue engineering and bone related diseases such as osteoporosis in which oxidative stress and aging plays important role.

The activin A-myostatin-follistatin system is thought to play an important role in the regulation of muscle and bone mass throughout growth, development, and aging; however, the effects of these ligands on progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation in muscle and bone are not well understood. In addition, age-associated changes in the relative expression of these factors in musculoskeletal tissues have not been described. We therefore examined changes in protein levels of activin A, follistatin, and myostatin (GDF-8) in both muscle and bone with age in C57BL6 mice using ELISA. We then investigated the effects of activin A, myostatin and follistatin on the proliferation and differentiation of primary myoblasts and mouse bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in vitro. Myostatin levels and the myostatin:follistatin ratio increased with age in the primarily slow-twitch mouse soleus muscle, whereas the pattern was reversed with age in the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus muscle. Myostatin levels and the myostatin: follistatin ratio increased significantly (+75%) in mouse bone marrow with age, as did activin A levels (+17%). Follistatin increased the proliferation of primary myoblasts from both young and aged mice, whereas myostatin increased proliferation of younger myoblasts but decreased proliferation of older myoblasts. Myostatin reduced proliferation of both young and aged BMSCs in a dose-dependent fashion, and activin A increased mineralization in both young and aged BMSCs. Together these data suggest that aging in mice is accompanied by changes in the expression of activin A and myostatin, as well as changes in the response of bone and muscle progenitor cells to these factors. Myostatin appears to play a particularly important role in the impaired proliferative capacity of muscle and bone progenitor cells from aged mice.

ObjectiveLeptin receptors are abundant in human skeletal muscle, but the role of leptin in muscle growth, development and aging is not well understood. Here we utilized a novel mouse model lacking all functional leptin receptor isoforms (POUND mouse, Leprdb/lb) to determine the role of leptin in skeletal muscle.Methods and FindingsSkeletal muscle mass and fiber diameters were examined in POUND mice, and primary myoblast cultures were used to determine the effects of altered leptin signaling on myoblast proliferation and differentiation. ELISA assays, integrated pathway analysis of mRNA microarrays, and reverse phase protein analysis were performed to identify signaling pathways impacted by leptin receptor deficiency. Results show that skeletal muscle mass and fiber diameter are reduced 30–40% in POUND mice relative to wild-type controls. Primary myoblast cultures demonstrate decreased proliferation and decreased expression of both MyoD and myogenin in POUND mice compared to normal mice. Leptin treatment increased proliferation in primary myoblasts from muscles of both adult (12 months) and aged (24 months) wild-type mice, and leptin increased expression of MyoD and myogenin in aged primary myoblasts. ELISA assays and protein arrays revealed altered expression of molecules associated with the IGF-1/Akt and MAPK/MEK signaling pathways in muscle from the hindlimbs of mice lacking functional leptin receptors.ConclusionThese data support the hypothesis that the adipokine leptin is a key factor important for the regulation of skeletal muscle mass, and that leptin can act directly on its receptors in peripheral tissues to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation.

Here, we investigate a possible direct role for myostatin in chondrogenesis. First, we examined the effects of myostatin on the proliferation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and epiphyseal growth plate (EGP) chondrocytes isolated from myostatin-deficient mice. Results show that myostatin deficiency is associated with a significant (P<.001) increase in proliferation of both BMSCs (+25%) and EGP chondrocytes (+35%) compared to wild-type cells. Next, we examined the effects of myostatin treatment on chondrogenic differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC). These experiments show that myostatin treatment starting at either 0 or 48 hrs induces a significant decrease in Col2 protein synthesis by 31% (P<0.001) and 25% (P<0.05), respectively. Real-time PCR reveals significant (P<.01) down regulation of Sox9 mRNA expression with 10- and 100ng/ml treatments. Together, these findings suggest that myostatin has direct effects on chondrogenesis, and may therefore represent a potential therapeutic target for improving bone repair.