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Fibronectin (Fn) is involved in early stages of bone formation and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is an important factor regulating osteogenesis. We here found that bFGF enhanced extracellular assembly from either endogenously released or exogenously applied soluble Fn in primary cultured osteoblasts. bFGF increased protein levels of Fn using Western blotting analysis. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors such as H7, 3-[1-[3-(amidinothio)propyl-1H-indol-3-yl]-3-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)maleimide (Bisindolylmaleimide IX), methanesulfonate (Ro 318220,) or 12-(2-cyanoethyl)-6,7,12,13-tetrahydro-13-methyl-5-oxo-5H-indolo[2,3-a]pyrrolo[3,4-c] carbazole (G 6976) antagonized the increase of Fn protein by bFGF. Treatment of osteoblasts with bFGF increased membrane translocation of various isoforms of PKC, including alpha, beta, epsilon, and delta. However, treatment with antisense of various PKC isoforms demonstrated that alpha and beta isozymes play important roles in the enhancement action of bFGF on Fn assembly. Down-regulation of PKC by prolonged treatment with 1 microM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate for 24 h inhibited the potentiating action of bFGF. It has been reported that alpha5beta1 integrin is related to Fn fibrillogenesis, and immunocytochemistry showed that bFGF treatment increased the clustering of alpha5 integrins. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that bFGF increased cell surface expression of alpha5 and beta1 integrins and PKC inhibitors antagonized the increase by bFGF. Local administration of bFGF into the metaphysis of the tibia via the implantation of a needle cannula significantly increased the protein levels of Fn in the area of trabecular spongiosa, which was inhibited by coadministration of PKC inhibitors. Furthermore, local injection of bFGF increased the bone volume of secondary spongiosa in tibia, which was significantly antagonized by PKC inhibitors. These results suggest that bFGF increased bone formation and Fn fibrillogenesis both in vitro and in vivo via PKC-dependent pathway.

Fibronectin (Fn) plays an important role in the regulation of adhesion, migration, and maturation of osteoblasts. Fn fibrillogenesis is involved in the process of bone mineralization. To elucidate the regulatory role of protein kinases in the formation of fibrillar Fn matrix, Fn synthesis and assembly were examined in cultured osteoblasts. Osteoblasts assembled the endogenously released soluble Fn into immobilized form on the substratum in a time-dependent manner. Both 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13 acetate (TPA) and forskolin increased the synthesis of Fn. However, the extracellular assembly of Fn fibril from both endogenously released and exogenously applied soluble Fn was increased by TPA but decreased by forskolin. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, such as H7, Ro 318220, and G 6976, inhibited Fn fibrillogenesis. These results suggest that the dynamic of Fn fibrillogenesis is differentially regulated by the activation of PKC and protein kinase A (PKA). Both classic and novel isoforms of PKC are involved in the action of TPA in osteoblasts. It has been reported that alpha5beta1 integrin is related to Fn fibrillogenesis. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry showed that TPA and forskolin increased and inhibited, respectively, the clustering and surface expression of alpha5 integrins. TPA and forskolin did not affect protein levels of alpha5 integrins. The Western blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed that protein and mRNA levels of beta1 integrins also were not affected by TPA and forskolin. These results suggest that TPA and forskolin may affect the surface expression of alpha5beta1 integrins. cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation is involved in the action of forskolin but not that of TPA. Our results suggest that PKC activation enhanced Fn fibrillogenesis, whereas PKA activation inhibited extracellular Fn fibrillogenesis in primary cultured osteoblasts. Cytosolic Fn synthesis and extracellular Fn assembly may be differentially regulated by the activation of PKA.