Regulation of bone formation and remodeling by G-protein-coupled receptor 48. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) 48 (Gpr48; Lgr4), a newly discovered member of the glycoprotein hormone receptor subfamily of GPCRs, is an orphan GPCR of unknown function. Using a knockout mouse model, we have characterized the essential roles of Gpr48 in bone formation and remodeling. Deletion of Gpr48 in mice results in a dramatic delay in osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, but not in chondrocyte proliferation and maturation, during embryonic bone formation. Postnatal bone remodeling is also significantly affected in Gpr48(-/-) mice, including the kinetic indices of bone formation rate, bone mineral density and osteoid formation, whereas the activity and number of osteoclasts are increased as assessed by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. Examination of the molecular mechanism of Gpr48 action in bone formation revealed that Gpr48 can activate the cAMP-PKA-CREB signaling pathway to regulate the expression level of Atf4 in osteoblasts. Furthermore, we show that Gpr48 significantly downregulates the expression levels of Atf4 target genes/proteins, such as osteocalcin (Ocn; Bglap2), bone sialoprotein (Bsp; Ibsp) and collagen. Together, our data demonstrate that Gpr48 regulates bone formation and remodeling through the cAMP-PKA-Atf4 signaling pathway.

published proceedings

  • Development

author list (cited authors)

  • Luo, J., Zhou, W., Zhou, X., Li, D., Weng, J., Yi, Z., ... Liu, M.

citation count

  • 136

complete list of authors

  • Luo, Jian||Zhou, Wei||Zhou, Xin||Li, Dali||Weng, Jinsheng||Yi, Zhengfang||Cho, Sung Gook||Li, Chenghai||Yi, Tingfang||Wu, Xiushan||Li, Xiao-Ying||de Crombrugghe, Benoit||Höök, Magnus||Liu, Mingyao

publication date

  • August 2009