Involvement of Gas7 along the ERK1/2 MAP kinase and SOX9 pathway in chondrogenesis of human marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Summary Objective The growth-arrest-specific protein, Gas7, has been shown to be involved in reorganization of the cytoskeleton and for inducing changes in cell shape during cell differentiation. The goals of this study were to investigate the novel role of human Gas7 (hGas7) in chondrogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and to identify the relationship between hGas7, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and SOX9 in the chondrogenic pathway. Methods Bone marrow-derived hMSCs were induced to undergo chondrogenic differentiation with transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in an aggregate culture system. The expression of hGas7 and SOX9 and phosphorylation of ERK1/2 at multiple time points were investigated. Chondrogenic capacity was evaluated by the size of aggregates, by glycosaminoglycan content, and by type II collagen and proteoglycan deposition after interfering with expression of hGas7 , ERK1/2 or SOX9 . To delineate the functional role of these genes in chondrogenesis, inhibition of individual gene's expression in hMSCs, by antisense oligonucleotides or interference RNA (siRNA), and the effect on chondrogenic differentiation were also investigated. Results Treatment of hMSCs with TGF-β1 resulted in a transient up-regulation of hGas7b, one of the hGas7 isoforms (day 3–day 5), a transient phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (0.5–4 h) and an up-regulation of SOX9 (2 h to day 14). Transient expression of hGas7b was also detected in hMSCs by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction at day 2 and day 3 following TGF-β1 treatment. Interference with hGas7b production by hGas7b-specific antisense oligonucleotide or inhibition of p-ERK with PD98059, a specific inhibitor of ERK signaling pathway, or interference with SOX9 production by SOX9 siRNA all caused adverse effects of chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs. Meanwhile, inhibition of p-ERK or SOX9 both blocked the expression of hGas7b. However, the p-ERK and SOX9 pathway was not affected by inhibition of hGas7b. Conclusion These results provide evidence that the transient expression of hGas7b, regulated by activation of ERK1/2 and SOX9 pathway, is essential for chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs.