Fgf8 signaling alters the osteogenic cell fate in anterior hard palate

ABSTRACT: FGF signaling has been implicated in the regulation of osteogenesis in both intramembranous and endochondral ossification. In the developing palate, the anterior bony palate forms by direct differentiation of cranial neural crest-derived mesenchymal cells, but the signals that regulate osteogenic cell fate remains unclear. In the present study, we present evidence that locally activated FGF8 signaling in the anterior palate leads to complete bone loss of the palatine process of the maxilla (ma) and ectopic cartilage formation. This aberrant developmental process was accompanied by significantly elevated level of cell proliferation, which contributes to abnormally thickened ma, and complete inhibition of Osterix expression, which accounts for the lack of bone formation. Consistent with the phenotype, RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis further demonstrated that augmented FGF8 signaling downregulated genes involved in ossification, biomineral tissue development, and bone mineralization, but upregulated genes involved in cell proliferation, cartilage development, and cell fate commitment. Expression validation of selected genes supported the RNA-Seq results. We conclude that FGF signaling functions as a negative regulator of osteogenic fate but promotes chondrogenesis of cranial neural crest cell-derived mesenchyme in the hard palate, which will have implication in directed differentiation of precursor cells for clinical application.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE101909 | GEO | 2018/05/23

REPOSITORIES: GEO