Effect of mechanical strain-induced PGE 2 production on bone nodule formation by rat calvarial progenitor cells

High-magnitude mechanical strain inhibits bone nodule formation by reducing expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), and muscle segment homeobox 2 (Msx2). Mechanical strain also induces production of proinflammatory factor prostaglandin E (PGE ) by osteoblasts. We measured the effect of mechanical strain-induced PGE production on bone nodule formation and expression levels of bone formation-related factors. Osteoblast-like cells isolated from fetal rat calvariae were loaded with 18% cyclic tension force (TF) for 48 h in the presence or absence of NS-398, a selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2. To investigate the effect of TF-induced PGE on bone formation, bone nodule area on day 21 was measured by von Kossa staining. BMP-2, Runx2, and Msx2 expression levels were examined at 1 day after TF loading. Bone nodule formation was significantly inhibited by TF but was restored to control level by PGE inhibition. Furthermore, TF loading-induced reductions in expressions of these factors were restored to control level by PGE suppression. These results indicate that PGE production induced by high-magnitude mechanical strain inhibits bone nodule formation by reducing expression levels of bone formation-related factors.