Cissus quadrangularis extract enhances biomineralization through up-regulation of MAPK-dependent alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblasts.

Cissus quadrangularis Linn. has been implicated as therapeutic agent for enhancing bone healing. Though its osteogenic activity has been suggested, the underlying mechanism still remains unclear.

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws: a call for multidisciplinary approaches.

Bisphosphonates have been prescribed for the treatments of oncologic and metabolic bone diseases to inhibit bone resorption of osteoclasts. However, in recent years, the increased numbers of cases diagnosed with exposed and necrotic bone localized in the jawbones associated with bisphosphonate use have been reported, mostly in patients with multiple myeloma or bone metastases who received long-term intravenous bisphosphonate treatments. The strong association between patients receiving dentoalveolar surgery and the incidence of this complication highlights the need for multidisciplinary approaches and necessitates the close attention from a team of health care personnel.

Post-translational modifications of collagen upon BMP-induced osteoblast differentiation.

The pattern of collagen cross-linking is tissue specific primarily determined by the extent of hydroxylation and oxidation of specific lysine residues in the molecule. In this study, murine pre-myoblast cell line, C2C12 cells, were transdifferentiated into osteoblastic cells by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 treatment, and the gene expression of lysyl hydroxylases (LH1, 2a/b, and 3) and lysyl oxidase (LOX)/lysyl oxidase-like proteins (LOXL1-4), and the extent of hydroxylysine were analyzed. After 24h of treatment, the expression of most isoforms were upregulated up to 96h whereas LH2a and LOXL2 decreased with time.

Nephrocan, a novel member of the small leucine-rich repeat protein family, is an inhibitor of transforming growth factor-beta signaling.

In a search of new, small leucine-rich repeat proteoglycan/protein (SLRP) family members, a novel gene, nephrocan (NPN), has been identified. The gene consists of three exons, and based on the deduced amino acid sequence, NPN has 17 leucine-rich repeat motifs and unique cysteine-rich clusters both in the N and C termini, indicating that this gene belongs to a new class of SLRP family. NPN mRNA was predominantly expressed in kidney in adult mice, and during mouse embryogenesis, the expression was markedly increased in 11-day-old embryos at a time when early kidney development takes place.

Biglycan modulates osteoblast differentiation and matrix mineralization.

Unlabelled: MC3T3-E1 cell-derived clones expressing higher (S) or lower (AS) levels of biglycan were generated and characterized. The processes of cell differentiation and matrix mineralization were accelerated in S but delayed in AS, indicating that BGN modulates osteoblastic cell differentiation.

Introduction: Biglycan (BGN), a member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family, is one of the major proteoglycans found in bone and has been implicated in bone formation.

Expression of lysyl oxidase isoforms in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.

Covalent intermolecular cross-linking of collagen is initiated by the action of lysyl oxidase (LOX) on the telopeptidyl lysine and hydroxylysine residues. Recently, several LOX isoforms, i.e.