Dual effects of heparin on BMP-2-induced osteogenic activity in MC3T3-E1 cells.

Heparin displays several types of biological activities by binding to various extracellular molecules, including pivotal roles in bone metabolism. We have previously reported that heparin competitively inhibits the binding activity of bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2) to BMP and the BMP receptor (BMPR) and suppresses BMP-2 osteogenic activity. In the present study, we examined whether heparin affects osteoblast differentiation induced by BMP-2 at various time points in vitro.

Heparin inhibits BMP-2 osteogenic bioactivity by binding to both BMP-2 and BMP receptor.

Heparin demonstrates several kinds of biological activities by binding to various extracellular molecules and plays pivotal roles in bone metabolism. However, the role of heparin in the biological activity of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) remains unclear. In the present study, we examined whether heparin has the effects on osteoblast differentiation induced by BMP-2 in vitro and also elucidated the precise mechanism by which heparin regulates bone metabolism induced by this molecule.

Dermatan sulfate inhibits osteoclast formation by binding to receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand.

Dermatan sulfate (DS) is a major component of extracellular matrices in mammalian tissues. In the present study, DS demonstrated a high level of binding activity to receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and obstructed the binding of RANK to RANKL, determined using a quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. Further, when mouse bone marrow cells were cultured with RANKL and macrophage colony-stimulating factor, DS suppressed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cell formation in a dose-dependent manner.