RhoA-mediated signaling in mechanotransduction of osteoblasts

Osteoblasts play a pivotal role in load-driven bone formation by activating Wnt signaling through a signal from osteocytes as a mechanosensor. Osteoblasts are also sensitive to mechanical stimulation, but the role of RhoA, a small GTPase involved in the regulation of cytoskeleton adhesion complexes, in mechanotransduction of osteoblasts is not completely understood. Using MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells under 1 hr flow treatment at 10 dyn/cm(2), we examined a hypothesis that RhoA signaling mediates the cellular responses to flow-induced shear stress. To test the hypothesis, we conducted genome-wide pathway analysis and evaluated the role of RhoA in molecular signaling. Activity of RhoA was determined with a RhoA biosensor, which determined the activation state of RhoA based on a fluorescence resonance energy transfer between CFP and YFP fluorophores. A pathway analysis indicated that flow treatment activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling as well as a circadian regulatory pathway. Western blot analysis revealed that in response to flow treatment phosphorylation of Akt in PI3K signaling and phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2 in MAPK signaling were induced. FRET measurement showed that RhoA was activated by flow treatment, and an inhibitor to a Rho kinase significantly reduced flow-induced phosphorylation of p38, ERK1/2, and Akt as well as flow-driven elevation of the mRNA levels of osteopontin and cyclooxygenase-2. Collectively, the result demonstrates that in response to 1 hr flow treatment to MC3T3-E1 cells at 10 dyn/cm(2), RhoA plays a critical role in activating PI3K and MAPK signaling as well as modulating the circadian regulatory pathway.