Integrin-mediated signaling regulates AP-1 transcription factors and proliferation in osteoblasts

Since osteoblast proliferation is critical for bone development, the effect of bone extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on osteoblast signaling and proliferation in serum-free medium was investigated. Proliferation was highest in primary rat calvarial osteoblasts cells grown on fibronectin but less on type I collagen; osteonectin and poly-L-lysine did not support early proliferation. Fibronectin and type I collagen binding requires integrins, whereas cell adhesion to osteonectin or poly-L-lysine does not involve integrins. Therefore, the role of integrins in osteoblast signaling, leading to the induction of AP-1 transcription factors (c-fos and c-jun) which are important in cell proliferation, was studied. c-fos and c-jun message levels were increased at 60 min in osteoblasts plated onto fibronectin or collagen, but not in cells on osteonectin or poly-L-lysine. Protein synthesis was not required for c-fos mRNA expression; however, kinase activity was necessary for c-fos induction. In cells plated onto fibronectin, c-fos mRNA levels were controlled by protein kinase C and phosphotyrosine kinase signaling pathways. In contrast, c-fos levels in collagen-adhering cells may involve protein kinase A. The signaling pathway involving the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase and mitogen-activated kinases was also shown to be transiently increased in osteoblasts on fibronectin and type I collagen, but not in cells on poly-L-lysine. These results demonstrate that osteoblast binding to the extracellular matrix through integrins induces c-fos and c-jun, and that both fibronectin and collagen affect these AP-1 transcription factors through protein kinase-sensitive pathways. Thus, osteoblast proliferation is modulated differentially by specific ECM components.