Influence of mechanical and biological signals on gene expression in human MG-63 cells: evidence for a complex interplay between hydrostatic compression and vitamin D3 or TGF-β1 on MMP-1 and MMP-3 mRNA levels

Biological mediators can influence the activity and differentiation of bone cells. 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) is known to induce differentiation of precursors into mature osteoblasts, and transforming growth factorβ1 (TGF-β1) can modulate the activity of bone cells leading to alterations in proliferation and gene expression patterns. Bone-derived cells were loaded via intermittent cyclic hydrostatic pressure (icHP) on cells under basal conditions and in the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3 or TGF-β1. Evaluating the effects of loading on the cells allowed for a comparison to be made between responsiveness to biomechanical and biochemical stimuli and their potential interplay. The effects of icHP on mRNA levels for the specific genes involved in bone remodelling and differentiation were measured in MG-63 cells using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mRNA levels for matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -3 (MMP-1 and MMP-3) were significantly, and uniquely, increased (p < 0.001) in...