Bone nodule formation of Mg63 cells is increased by the interplay of signaling pathways cultured on vitamin D3‐entrapped calcium phosphate films

Since vitamin D-3 is an important regulator of osteoblastic differentiation, a presently-established vitamin D-3-entrapped calcium phosphate film (VCPF) was evaluated for hard tissue engineering. The entrapped vitamin D-3 more rapidly induced bone nodule formation. To characterize the cellular events leading to regulations including faster differentiation, signal transduction pathways were investigated in osteoblastic MG63 cells at a molecular level. Major signaling pathways for MG63 cell proliferation including phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase and focal adhesion kinase pathways were markedly down-regulated when cells were cultured on calcium phosphate film (CPF) and VCPF This agreed with our earlier observations of the immediate delay in proliferation of MG63 cells upon culture on CPF and VCPF On the other hand, the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and protein kinase A (PKA) pathways were significantly up-regulated on both CPF and VCPF. CPF alone could simulate differential behaviors of MG63 cells even in the absence of osteogenic stimulation and entrapment of vitamin D-3 within CPF further amplified the signal pathways, resulting in continued promotion of MG63 cell differentiation. Interplay of p38 MAPK and PKA signaling pathways likely is a significant event for the promotion of differentiation and mineralization of MG63 cells.