RhoA/Rock activation represents a new mechanism for inactivating Wnt/?-catenin signaling in the aging-associated bone loss.
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ABSTRACT: The Wnt/?-catenin signaling pathway appears to be particularly important for bone homeostasis, whereas nuclear accumulation of ?-catenin requires the activation of Rac1, a member of the Rho small GTPase family. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of RhoA/Rho kinase (Rock)-mediated Wnt/?-catenin signaling in the regulation of aging-associated bone loss. We find that Lrp5/6-dependent and Lrp5/6-independent RhoA/Rock activation by Wnt3a activates Jak1/2 to directly phosphorylate Gsk3? at Tyr216, resulting in Gsk3? activation and subsequent ?-catenin destabilization. In line with these molecular events, RhoA loss- or gain-of-function in mouse embryonic limb bud ectoderms interacts genetically with Dkk1 gain-of-function to rescue the severe limb truncation phenotypes or to phenocopy the deletion of ?-catenin, respectively. Likewise, RhoA loss-of-function in pre-osteoblasts robustly increases bone formation while gain-of-function decreases it. Importantly, high RhoA/Rock activity closely correlates with Jak and Gsk3? activities but inversely correlates with ?-catenin signaling activity in bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells from elderly male humans and mice, whereas systemic inhibition of Rock therefore activates the ?-catenin signaling to antagonize aging-associated bone loss. Taken together, these results identify RhoA/Rock-dependent Gsk3? activation and subsequent ?-catenin destabilization as a hitherto uncharacterized mechanism controlling limb outgrowth and bone homeostasis.
SUBMITTER: Shi W
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7925793 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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