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RelA promotes proliferation but inhibits osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells
Author(s) -
Yu Shuxiang,
Li Ping,
Li Baojie,
Miao Dengshun,
Deng Qi
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1002/1873-3468.13739
Subject(s) - mesenchymal stem cell , chondrogenesis , adipogenesis , chondrocyte , microbiology and biotechnology , osteoblast , cellular differentiation , phenotype , biology , cartilage , chemistry , in vitro , anatomy , gene , genetics
NF‐κB is known to be implicated in skeletal development and related diseases. Previous studies have shown that RelA, a key subunit of NF‐κB, is involved in osteoblast and chondrocyte survival and differentiation. Yet, the physiological roles of RelA in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which give rise to both chondrocytes and osteoblasts, are still poorly understood. Here, we generated Prrx1‐Cre;RelA f/f mice to delete RelA in Prrx1 + bone marrow MSCs and found that RelA deletion led to decreased MSC proliferation and altered differentiation, with increased osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation but decreased adipogenic differentiation. Bone size and mass were not significantly changed in the mutant mice, although they developed moderate osteoarthritis‐like phenotypes. Thus, our studies reveal important but discordant functions of RelA in MSC proliferation and differentiation, and provide an explanation why MSC‐specific RelA knockout mice only develop minor skeletal phenotypes.