Osteoblastic differentiation and cell calcification of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Yan, Xiaorong^a | Kang, Dezhi^a | Pan, Jun^b | Jiang, Changzhen^a | Lin, Yuanxiang^a | Qi, Songtao^{b; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China | [b] Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Songtao Qi, Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guang Zhou Road 1838#, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Tel.: +86 20 61641801; Fax: +86 20 61641806; E-mail:[email protected]

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The calcification of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) often creates difficulties for surgical therapy. Nevertheless, the mechanism of ACP calcification is unclear. Our previous studies demonstrated that osteoblastic factors might play important roles in ACP calcification. OBJECTIVE: We examined the effects of recombinant human Bmp2 on ACP cell differentiation by testing osteoblastic proteins and calcium deposition. METHODS: The expression of osteoblastic factors including osteopontin (OPN), Runx2, and osterix in Bmp2-treated ACP cells was examined by western blot and/or real time PCR. ALP activity and calcium deposition after Bmp2 induction were also tested. RESULTS: Bmp2 significantly amplified the expression of Runx2, Osterix and OPN, as well as ALP activity. Both of these effects could be repressed by noggin treatment. Bmp2 also significantly induced the calcification of ACP, and noggin inhibited this calcium deposition. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated for the first time that ACP cells could differentiate into an osteoblastic lineage via induction by Bmp2. The mechanism of ACP calcification likely involves osteoblastic differentiation modulated by Bmp2. Further studies targeting Bmp2 cascades could result in novel therapeutic interventions for recurrent ACP.

Keywords: Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma calcification, bone morphogenetic protein-2, cell calcification, osteoblastic differentiation

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-161576

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 191-198, 2017