Osteocalcin (BGP), gene expression, and protein production by marrow stromal adipocytes

This study was designed to demonstrate the expression and production of osteocalcin, a bone Gla-protein (BGP), by marrow stromal cells. We were able to accomplish this by using a series of marrow stromal cell lines (MBA cells). A unique expression of the osteocalcin was detected by the adipocyte 14F1.1 cells. This was at the mRNA level by Northern blot and by RT-PCR analysis. The secreted protein was quantitated by radioimmunoassay (RIA), in conditioned medium (CM) harvested from these cultured cells. These findings offer the first evidence that marrow adipocyte 14F1.1 derived cells express mRNA for osteocalcin and produce the protein.