Expression of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in human and murine osteoblast-like cells

The preservation of bone mass relies on adequate proliferation, differentiation, secretion of matrix proteins and rate of apoptosis of the bone-forming osteoblasts. Although growing body of evidence indicates that the transient receptor potential (TRP) channels play important roles in numerous cellular functions, limited information is available about the TRP channels in osteoblasts. Here, we inventoried the gene expression and addressed some roles of the TRP channels in various osteoblast-like cells. The transcripts of canonical TRP (TRPC) channels were revealed for TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC4 and TRPC6 in human MG-63, SaOS and U2 OS osteoblasts while transcripts for TRPC2, TRPC4, TRPC6 and TRPC7 were observed in the murine MC3T3 osteoblasts. PCR products were shown for the melastatin-related TRP (TRPM) channels TRPM4, TRPM6, TRPM7 and TRPM8 in all cell lines. The TRPM1 was specifically expressed by murine MC3T3 cells while the TRPM3 transcripts were revealed solely in human osteoblast-like cells. Transcripts for TRPV2 and TRPV4 were shown in osteoblastic cells. By interfering RNA approaches, the TRPC1 channels in osteoblasts were shown to be responsible for the capacitative calcium entry (CCE) and for the stimulation of cell proliferation by platelet-derived growth factor. On the other hand, interfering RNA-mediated abrogation of the expression of TRPM7, known as calcium and magnesium channels, resulted in the reduction of both basal and growth factor-stimulated osteoblastic cell proliferation. Our results provide the first complete reference for the gene expression of TRP channels in osteoblasts and point to their importance in cell proliferation.