Parathyroid hormone regulates osterix and Runx2 mRNA expression predominantly through protein kinase A signaling in osteoblast-like cells

Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and osterix are osteoblast-specific transcription factors essential for the development of osteoblastic cells and bone formation. PTH given intermittently has anabolic effects on bone; however, the exact role remains to be understood completely. The purpose of this study was both to investigate whether PTH regulates Runx2 as well as osterix expression and to identify the signaling used. Using RT-PCR, we confirmed that PTH (1-34) regulated Runx2 and osterix mRNA expression, in rat osteoblast-like cell line UMR 106, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. PTH in low concentrations stimulated both Runx2 and osterix mRNA expression while that in high concentrations did not. Forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, also enhanced Runx2 and osterix transcription, and the stimulatory effects of PTH and forskolin were blocked by the pre-treatment of the cells with H-89, a protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor. In contrast, the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) had no effect on Runx2 transcription, but induced an increase in osterix mRNA level at the concentration of 500 nM at 12 h after treatment. Moreover, pre-treatment of the cells with calphostin C, a PKC-specific inhibitor, reduced the increase in osterix transcripts enhanced by PTH and PMA 12 h after treatment. However, these inhibitory effects were not sustained for longer terms. These observations demonstrate that PTH stimulates Runx2 and osterix expression in vitro, at least in part, at transcriptional level. Induction of Runx2 mRNA is mediated through the activation of cAMP/PKA signal transduction. In the case of osterix, although the increase in mRNA level is predominantly mediated via cAMP/PKA signaling, PKC activation might also be involved in this process.