Roles of BMPs in postnatal bone and joint homeostasis

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25293317
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: TSUJI Kunikazu 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 寄附講座准教授 (20323694)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 宗田 大 東京医科歯科大学, 大学院医歯学総合研究科, 非常勤講師 (50190864) ; 関矢 一郎 東京医科歯科大学, 統合研究機構, 教授 (10345291)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: BMP / Fracture / Hematopoietic stem cell / Osteoarthritis / Articular Cartilage / Meniscus / Bone / Homeostasis

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have reported that the absence of locally produced BMP7 had no effect on limb bone and joint formation and the process of fracture healing in the postnatal animals. Here, to evaluate the physiological roles of endogenous BMP7 in postnatal joint homeostasis, we performed detailed analyses on the knee joint of these mice. Histological analyses showed that the absence of locally produced BMP7 reduced proteoglycan contents in articular cartilage starting at 8 weeks of age. Loss of BMP7 did not affect survival of articular cartilage cells, but resulted in their reduced expression of aggrecan and enhanced expression of matrix metalloprotease 13. We also found extensive synovial hyperplasia and enhanced expression of the inflammatory cytokine, Activin, in the synovial membrane in the absence of BMP7. These data suggest that local production of BMP7 is prerequisite for postnatal synovial joint homeostasis and loss of BMP7 may involve in osteoarthritic changes in adult synovial joints.

Free Research Field

骨、軟骨代謝