Microarray Profile of Gene Expression during Osteoclast Differentiation in Modeled Microgravity

Microgravity leads to a 10-15% loss of bone mass in astronauts during space flight. Osteoclast is the multinucleated bone resorbing cell. In this study we used NASA developed ground based Rotary Wall Vessel Bioreactor (RWV) Rotary Cell Culture System (RCCS) to simulate microgravity (uXg) conditions and demonstrated a significant increase (2-fold) in osteoclastogenesis compared to ground based control (Xg) mouse bone marrow cultures. We further determined the gene expression profiling of RAW 264.7 osteoclast progenitor cells in microgravity by agilent microarray analysis. Gene expression pattern was functional group clustered by transcriptome analysis using gene ontology tree machine (GOTM) for cell proliferation/survival differentiation and function. We confirm the microgravity modulated gene expression critical for osteoclast differentiation by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis in murine bone marrow cultures. We identify transcription factors such as c-Jun c-Fos PU-1 critical for osteoclast differentiation is up-regulated in microgravity conditions. In addition microgravity resulted in 2.3 and 2.0-fold increase in the level of cathepsin K and MMP-9 matrix metalloproteinase expression in preosteoclast cells involved in the bone resorption process respectively. We also demonstrate a significant increase in the expression levels of M-CSF receptor c-Fms and PLCy2 and S100A8 molecules that play an important role in Ca2+ signaling essential for osteoclast function. Further microgravity stimulated preosteoclast cells showed elevated cytosolic Ca2+ levels compared to ground based control cells. Thus microgravity regulated gene expression profiling in preosteoclast cells provide new insights in to molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of osteoclast differentiation/activation responsible for bone loss and fracture risk in astronauts during space flight mission. Microgravity associated with space flight is a challenge for normal bone homeostasis. Astronauts experience 10-15% bone loss during a space flight mission. We aimed to determine the effect of simulated microgravity on osteoclast preosteoclasts cells. RAW264.7 cells (1.5 x 106 /ml) were loaded in RCCS with DMEM containing 10% FBS for 24 h. The cells were stimulated with RANKL (80ng/ml) for 24 h to obtain preosteoclasts in parallel with ground based control cells. Total RNA was isolated using RNAzol reagent (Biotecx Labs Houston TX) from control (Xg) and microgravity (uXg) subjected cells and hybridized with Agilent whole mouse genome 4x44K array system. Slides were washed and scanned on an Agilent G2565 microarray scanner. Data obtained were analyzed with Agilent feature extraction and GeneSpring GX v7.3.1 software packages (Genus biosystem Inc. Northbrook IL USA).

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Maintainer GeneLab Outreach
Last Updated April 23, 2025, 22:54 (UTC)
Created March 31, 2025, 21:45 (UTC)
accessLevel public
accrualPeriodicity irregular
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identifier nasa_genelab_GLDS-18_mnws-85vt
issued 2021-05-21
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license http://www.usa.gov/publicdomain/label/1.0/
modified 2023-01-26
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