Although systemic bone loss accompanying estrogen deficiency has been proposed as a risk factor for periodontal disease in post-menopausal women, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. The objective of this study was to elucidate the potential bone-sparing effect of estrogen (17beta-estradiol, E(2)) via modulation of inflammatory cytokine production in human periodontal ligament (hPDL) cells. E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) increased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and receptor activator of NF- B ligand (RANKL) by hPDL cells at both mRNA and protein levels. E(2) treatment reversed the stimulatory effects of LPS on pro-inflammatory cytokine expression by hPDL cells. Moreover, E(2) up-regulated osteoprotegerin (OPG) expression and therefore attenuated the reduction of the OPG vs. RANKL ratio. Our results suggested that estrogen may play a significant role in modulating periodontal tissue responses to LPS, and may exert its bone-sparing effects on periodontal tissues via altering the expression of inflammatory cytokines in hPDL cells.

Prevotella intermedia, a major periodontal pathogen, plays important roles in the initiation and development of periodontitis by stimulating the release of proinflammatory cytokines, proteinases and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Our previous study demonstrated that P. intermedia induced MMP-9 expression in human periodontal ligament (hPDL) cells. In this study, we examined the effects of P. intermedia on other MMPs' expression. Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR analysis revealed that P. intermedia ATCC 25611 supernatant increased MMP-1 and MMP-8 mRNA expression in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot results confirmed the RT-PCR results at the protein level. Cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin significantly attenuated the upregulatory effects of P. intermedia on MMP-1 and MMP-8 expression. Extracellular signal-related kinase inhibitor PD98059 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor SP600125 considerably decreased the upregulated level of MMP-1, whereas p38 inhibitor SB203580 markedly inhibited MMP-8 expression, suggesting that prostaglandin E(2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways are involved in P. intermedia-induced MMP-1 and MMP-8 upregulation. Our results indicate that P. intermedia might contribute to periodontal connective tissue and bone matrix destruction through upregulating MMP production.

ClC-3 chloride channel has been speculated to contribute to the acidification of synaptic vesicles and endosomes. However, the biological function of ClC-3 in osteogenesis remains to be determined. In this study, we first analyzed ClC-3 expression in MC3T3-E1 cells and primary mouse osteoblasts and then performed the osteoinductive procedure to determine the effects on gene expression. Subsequently, we transiently transfected ClC-3 cDNA or ClC-3-siRNA into MC3T3-E1 cells to determine the changed phenotype and gene expression. Lastly, we assessed the underlying mechanism responsible for ClC-3-induced osteodifferentiation. We found that ClC-3 mRNA was expressed in primary mouse osteoblasts and MC3T3-E1 cells and induced by using an osteoinductive procedure. We also found that overexpression of ClC-3 contributed to osteodifferentiation, such as increase in the expression of osteogenic markers [alkaline phosphatase (Alp), osteocalcin (Oc), bone sialoprotein (Bsp), osterix (Osx), and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2)], morphological changes, and mineralized nodules in MC3T3-E1 cells. ClC-3 gene silencing suppressed gene expression of these osteogenic markers. Moreover, overexpressed ClC-3 protein co-localized with TGF-beta1 in intracellular organelles, inhibited TGF-beta1 protein expression and induced endosomal acidification. Nevertheless, knockdown of Runx2 expression antagonized the effects of ClC-3 in osteodifferentiation and expression of osteogenic markers. The data from the current study suggest that the function of ClC-3 in osteodifferentiation may be through the Runx2 pathway.

Osteoblasts have the capacity to perceive and transduce mechanical signals, and thus, regulate the mRNA and protein expression of a variety of genes associated with osteogenesis. Cytoskeletal reconstruction, as one of the earliest perception events for external mechanical stimulation, has previously been demonstrated to be essential for mechanotransduction in bone cells. However, the mechanism by which mechanical signals induce cytoskeletal deformation remains poorly understood. The actin-binding protein, cofilin, promotes the depolymerization of actin and is understood to be important in the regulation of activities in various cell types, including endothelial, neuronal and muscle cells. However, to the best of our knowledge, the importance of cofilin in osteoblastic mechanotransduction has not been previously investigated. In the present study, osteoblast-like MG-63 cells were subjected to physiological cyclic stretch stimulation (12% elongation) for 1, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h, and the expression levels of cofilin and osteogenesis-associated genes were quantified with reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining and western blotting analyses. Additionally, knockdown of cofilin using RNA interference was conducted, and the mRNA levels of osteogenesis-associated genes were compared between osteoblast-like cells in the presence and absence of cofilin gene knockdown. The results of the present study demonstrated that cyclic stretch stimulates the expression of genes associated with osteoblastic activities in MG-63 cells, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and collagen-1 (COL-1). Cyclic stretch also regulates the mRNA and protein expression of cofilin in MG-63 cells. Furthermore, stretch-induced increases in the levels of osteogenesis-associated genes, including ALP, OCN, Runx2 and COL-1, were reduced following cofilin gene knockdown. Together, these results demonstrate that cofilin is involved in the regulation of mechanical load-induced osteogenesis and, to the best of our knowledge, provides the first evidence demonstrating the importance of cofilin in osteoblastic mechanotransduction.

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