Recent studies have shown that the mevalonate pathway plays an important role in skeletal metabolism. Statins stimulate bone morphogenetic proteins-2 (BMP-2) production in osteoblasts, implicating a possible beneficial role for statins in promoting anabolic effects on bone. Here, we investigated the effects of a lipophilic simvastatin on osteoblast differentiation using mouse myoblast C2C12 cells, in the presence of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), an inflammatory cytokine that inhibits osteogenesis. The addition of TNF-α to C2C12 cells suppressed the BMP-2-induced expression of key osteoblastic markers including Runx2 and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Simvastatin had no independent effects on Runx2 and alkaline phosphatase activity; however, it reversed the suppressive effects of TNF-α. The ability of simvastatin to reverse TNF-α inhibition of BMP-induced Smad1,5,8 phosphorylation and Id-1 promoter activity suggests the involvement of Smad signaling pathway in simvastatin action. In addition, cDNA array analysis revealed that simvastatin increased expression levels of Smads in C2C12 cells exposed to TNF-α that also activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, including extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), P38, and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK). Simvastatin potently suppressed TNF-α-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and SAPK/JNK by inhibiting TNF-α-induced membrane localization of Ras and RhoA. Farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) reversed the simvastatin effects on TNF-α-induced activation of Ras/Rho/MAPK pathways. FPP and GGPP also restored the simvastatin effects on TNF-α-induced suppression of Runx2 and ALP activity. In addition, simvastatin decreased the expression levels of TNF type-1 and -2 receptor mRNAs. Collectively, simvastatin supports BMP-induced osteoblast differentiation through antagonizing TNF-α-to-Ras/Rho/MAPK pathway and augmenting BMP-Smad signaling, suggesting a potential usage of statins to ameliorate inflammatory bone damage.

Here we investigated roles of the pituitary bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) system in modulating GH production regulated by a somatostatin analog, octreotide (OCT) and a dopamine agonist, bromocriptine (BRC) in rat pituitary somatolactotrope tumor GH3 cells. The GH3 cells were found to express BMP ligands, including BMP-4 and BMP-6; BMP type-1 and type-2 receptors (except the type-1 receptor, activin receptor-like kinase (ALK)-6); and Smad signaling molecules. Forskolin stimulated GH production in accordance with cAMP synthesis. BRC, but not OCT, suppressed forskolin-induced cAMP synthesis by GH3 cells. Individual treatment with OCT and BRC reduced forskolin-induced GH secretion. A low concentration (0.1 μM) of OCT in combination with BRC (1–100 μM) exhibited additive effects on reducing GH and cAMP production induced by forskolin. However, a high concentration (10 μM) of OCT in combination with BRC failed to suppress GH and cAMP production. BMP-4 specifically enhanced GH secretion and cAMP production induced by forskolin in GH3 cells. BRC, but not OCT, inhibited BMP-4-induced activation of Smad1,5,8 phosphorylation and Id-1 transcription and decreased ALK-3 expression. Of note, in the presence of a high concentration of OCT, the BRC effects suppressing BMP-4-Smad1,5,8 signaling were significantly impaired. In the presence of BMP-4, a high concentration of OCT also attenuated the BRC effects suppressing forskolin-induced GH and cAMP production. Collectively, a high concentration of OCT interferes with BRC effects by reducing cAMP production and suppressing BMP-4 signaling in GH3 cells. These findings may explain the mechanism of resistance of GH reduction to a combination therapy with OCT and BRC for GH-producing pituitary adenomas.

Estrogen is involved in the development and progression of breast cancer. Here, we investigated the effects of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) on breast cancer cell proliferation caused by estrogen using human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. MCF-7 cells express estrogen receptors (ESR1 and ESR2), BMP receptors, and SMAD signaling molecules. Estradiol and membrane-impermeable estradiol stimulated MCF-7 cell proliferation. Estradiol also reduced mRNA levels of ESR1, aromatase, and steroid sulfatase. Treatment with BMPs and activin had no effects on MCF-7 cell proliferation. However, BMP2, BMP4, BMP6, BMP7, and activin suppressed estradiol-induced cell mitosis, with the effects of BMP6, BMP7, and activin being more prominent than those of BMP2 and BMP4. Activin decreased ESR1 mRNA expression, while BMP6 and BMP7 impaired steroid sulfatase expression in MCF-7 cells. Interestingly, SMAD1,5,8 activation elicited by BMP6 and BMP7, but not by BMP2 and BMP4, was preserved even under the exposure of a high concentration of estradiol. The difference of BMP responsiveness was likely due to the differential modulation of BMP receptor expression induced by estradiol. In this regard, estradiol decreased the expression levels of BMPR1A, BMPR1B, ACVR2A, and ACVR2B but did not affect ACVR1 and BMPRII, leading to the sustained effects of BMP6 and BMP7 in estrogen-treated MCF-7 cells. Estradiol rapidly activated MAPK phosphorylation including extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, p38, and stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase pathways and BMP6, BMP7, and activin preferentially inhibited estradiol-induced p38 phosphorylation. SB203580, a selective p38 MAPK inhibitor effectively suppressed estradiol-induced cell mitosis, suggesting that p38 MAPK plays a key role in estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cell proliferation. Thus, a novel interrelationship between estrogen and the breast cancer BMP system was uncovered, in which inhibitory effects of BMP6 and BMP7 on p38 signaling and steroid sulfatase expression were functionally involved in the suppression of estrogen-induced mitosis of breast cancer cells.