Endothelins inhibit the mineralization of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells through the A-type endothelin receptor

We examined the effects of various endothelins on the mineralization of mouse clonal preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. MC3T3-E1 cells expressed mRNAs for endothelin (ET)-1 and the A-type receptor for ET (ETA). A pharmacological study also demonstrated the predominant expression of the ETA receptor. Northern blotting analysis revealed that ETs decreased the expression of mRNA for osteocalcin, which is a marker protein for the maturation of osteoblastic cells. ET-1 also decreased in the deposition of calcium by MC3T3-E1 cells in a dose-dependent manner and it had an inhibitory effect even at 10(-11) M. The rank order of potency of ETs was ET-1 = ET-2 > ET-3. Brief treatment with 10(-7) M ET-1 on days 6-8 alone suppressed mineralization. ET-1 enhanced the rate of production of inositol 1,4, 5-trisphosphate (IP3) in MC3T3-E1 cells, but it had no effect on the rate of production of cAMP. Taken together, our data indicate that ET-1 might inhibit the mineralization of osteoblastic cells via an interaction with the ETA receptor, with generation of IP3 as the intracellular signal.