Tissue-specific calibration of extracellular matrix material properties by transforming growth factor-[beta] and Runx2 in bone is required for hearing

Physical cues, such as extracellular matrix stiffness, direct cell differentiation and support tissue-specific function. Perturbation of these cues underlies diverse pathologies, including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that establish tissue-spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:EMBO reports 2010-10, Vol.11 (10), p.765
Main Authors: Chang, Jolie L, Brauer, Delia S, Johnson, Jacob, Chen, Carol G, Akil, Omar, Balooch, Guive, Humphrey, Mary Beth, Chin, Emily N, Porter, Alexandra E, Butcher, Kristin, Ritchie, Robert O, Schneider, Richard A, Lalwani, Anil, Derynck, Rik, Marshall, Grayson W, Marshall, Sally J, Lustig, Lawrence, Alliston, Tamara
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cardiovascular diseases
Cell differentiation
Cells
Ears & hearing
Hearing loss
Matrix
Osteoarthritis
Tissues
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Physical cues, such as extracellular matrix stiffness, direct cell differentiation and support tissue-specific function. Perturbation of these cues underlies diverse pathologies, including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that establish tissue-specific material properties and link them to healthy tissue function are unknown. We show that Runx2, a key lineage-specific transcription factor, regulates the material properties of bone matrix through the same transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ)-responsive pathway that controls osteoblast differentiation. Deregulated TGFβ or Runx2 function compromises the distinctly hard cochlear bone matrix and causes hearing loss, as seen in human cleidocranial dysplasia. In Runx2(+/-) mice, inhibition of TGFβ signalling rescues both the material properties of the defective matrix, and hearing. This study elucidates the unknown cause of hearing loss in cleidocranial dysplasia, and demonstrates that a molecular pathway controlling cell differentiation also defines material properties of extracellular matrix. Furthermore, our results suggest that the careful regulation of these properties is essential for healthy tissue function..[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:1469-221X
1469-3178
DOI:10.1038/embor.2010.135