A specific mechanomodulatory role for p38 MAPK in embryonic joint articular surface cell MEK-ERK pathway regulation

Mechanisms regulating cell behavior and extracellular matrix composition in response to mechanical stimuli remain unresolved. Our previous studies have established that the MEK-ERK cascade plays a specific role in the mechano-dependent joint formation process by promoting the assembly of pericellular matrices reliant upon hyaluronan (HA) for their integrity. Here we demonstrate: (i) novel cross-talk between p38 MAPK and MEK-ERK signaling pathways that is specific for mechanical stimuli and (ii) a role for p38 MAPK in facilitating HA production by cells derived from the articular surface of embryonic chick tibiotarsal joints. We find that p38 MAPK blockade restricts pericellular assembly of HA-rich matrices and reduces basal as well as mechanical strain-induced release of HA. p38 MAPK blockers potentiated early strain-induced increases but restricted sustained increases in MEK/ERK phosphorylation at later times; c-Fos hyperphosphorylation at threonine 325 was found to parallel this p38 MAPK-mediated modulation of ERK activation. In contrast, p38 MAPK inhibitors had no detectable effect on the ERK activation induced by fibroblast growth factor 2 or pervanadate, a phosphatase inhibitor, and MEK inhibitors did not influence p38 MAPK phosphorylation, confirming both the specificity and unidirectionality of p38 MAPK-ERK cross-talk. Immunochemical and immunoblotting studies revealed constitutive p38 MAPK activation in cells at, or derived from, developing articular joint surfaces. Unlike the MEK-ERK pathway, however, p38 MAPK was not further stimulated by mechanical stimulation in vitro. Thus, p38 MAPK specifically facilitates ERK activation and downstream signaling in response to mechanical stimuli. These results suggest that constitutively active p38 MAPK serves an essential, permissive role in mechanically induced changes in ERK activation and in the accumulation of HA-rich extracellular matrices that serve a key role in joint development.