Smad7 Inhibits Chondrocyte Differentiation at Multiple Steps during Endochondral Bone Formation and Down-regulates p38 MAPK Pathways

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry 2008-10, Vol.283 (40), p.27154-27164
• Main Authors: Iwai, Takao, Murai, Junko, Yoshikawa, Hideki, Tsumaki, Noriyuki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins - biosynthesis; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins - genetics; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Chondrocytes - cytology; Chondrocytes - metabolism; Down-Regulation - physiology; High Mobility Group Proteins - biosynthesis; High Mobility Group Proteins - genetics; MAP Kinase Signaling System - physiology; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Osteogenesis - physiology; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Smad6 Protein - biosynthesis; Smad6 Protein - genetics; Smad7 Protein - biosynthesis; Smad7 Protein - genetics; SOX9 Transcription Factor; Transcription Factors - biosynthesis; Transcription Factors - genetics
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M801175200

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) play critical roles at various stages in endochondral bone formation. In vitro studies have demonstrated that Smad7 regulates transforming growth factor-β and BMP signals by inhibiting Smad pathways in chondrocytes. However, the in vivo roles of Smad7 during cartilage development are unknown. To investigate distinct effects of Smad7 at different stages during chondrocyte differentiation, we generated a series of conditional transgenic mice that overexpress Smad7 in chondrocytes at various steps of differentiation by using the Cre/loxP system. We generated Col11a2-lacZfloxed-Smad7 transgenic mice and mated them with three types of Cre transgenic mice to obtain Smad7Prx1, Smad711Enh, and Smad711Prom conditional transgenic mice. Smad7Prx1 mice overexpressing Smad7 in condensing mesenchymal cells showed disturbed mesenchymal condensation associated with decreased Sox9 expression, leading to poor cartilage formation. Smad711Enh mice overexpressing Smad7 in round chondrocytes showed decreased chondrocyte proliferation rates. Smad711Prom mice overexpressing Smad7 in flat chondrocytes showed inhibited maturation of chondrocytes toward hypertrophy. Micromass culture of mesenchymal cells showed that BMP-induced cartilaginous nodule formation was down-regulated by overexpression of Smad7, but not Smad6. Overexpression of Smad7, but not Smad6, down-regulated the phosphorylation of p38 MAPKs. Our data provide in vivo evidence for distinct effects of Smad7 at different stages during chondrocyte differentiation and suggest that Smad7 in prechondrogenic cells inhibits chondrocyte differentiation possibly by down-regulating BMP-activated p38 MAPK pathways.