The effects of Gli1 and Gli2 on BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

Diseases, such as bone nonunion with bone defects, osteoporosis, etc, seriously endanger people's quality of life, and bone tissue engineering based on mesenchymal stem cells is an effective method to solve such problems. Several studies have shown that BMP9 can effectively promote osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unclear. Gli1 and Gli2 were important transcription factors and play an important role in the Hedgehog signaling pathway. In this study, we investigated the role of Gli1 and Gli2 in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. We found that inhibition of Gli1 and Gli2 weakened BMP9induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, and early osteogenic markers (alkaline phosphatase, ALP), late osteogenic markers (calcium salt deposition), the expression of pivotal osteogenic markers were attenuated, and inhibition of Gli1 and Gli2 weakened the expression of p-Smad1/5/8 and p-p38 induced by BMP9. In conclusion, our study shows that Gli1 and Gli2 play an important role in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation.

Automated summary

Diseases such as bone nonunion and osteoporosis seriously impact people's quality of life, and bone tissue engineering using mesenchymal stem cells is an effective solution. Previous studies have shown the efficacy of BMP9 in promoting osteogenic differentiation of MSCs, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the role of Gli1 and Gli2 in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. The results demonstrated that inhibition of Gli1 and Gli2 weakened BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation and reduced the expression of key osteogenic markers, as well as the activation of p-Smad1/5/8 and p-p38 induced by BMP9. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of Gli1 and Gli2 in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation.