Differentiation of MC3T3-E1 Osteoblasts is associated with temporal changes in the expression of IGF-I and IGFBPs

We examined the relationship between osteoblast maturation and temporal changes in the secretion of IGF-I and the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) in the MC3T3-El model of osteoblast development. IGF-I was present at low levels in conditioned media in proliferating preosteoblasts (3.7 ± 1.7 ng/μg DNA and 3.9 ± 0.6 at culture (days 3 and 9) and increased progressively in postmitotic differentiating osteoblasts, reaching a maximal concentration of 13.1 ± 1.5 ng/μg DNA by day 25 of culture. We also observed an increase in IGF-I mRNA expression. Using Western ligand blot and immunoblot techniques, we found that IGFBP-2, -4, and -5 also displayed temporal differences in expression during MC3T3-El development. We observed a sustained increase in IGFBP-2, -4, and -5 mRNA expression between days 10–14, coincident with the onset of differentiation. IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-4 protein concentrations increased in parallel with IGFBP mRNA expression, but IGFBP-5 levels peaked between days 1–14 of culture, and declined thereafter in spite of persistent IGFBP-5 mRNA levels. These findings suggest complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of IGFBP metabolism during osteoblast development. Thus, IGF-I and IGFBP production are regulated during osteoblast development. In turn, time-dependent changes in IGF-I and modulation of IGF-I bioavailability by IGFBPs may regulate the osteoblastic developmental sequence.