C- fos mRNA Expression after Treatment with Fetal Bovine Serum and Epidermal Growth Factor for Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells Cultured in a Low Calcium Environment

Abstract

This paper examines the existence of c- fos mRNA expression in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells cultured in a low calcium environment. The MC3T3-E1 cells were placed in a serum free medium for 24 hours after subconfluence and then the cells were treated with fetal bovine serum and epidermal growth factor for 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, or 60 minutes. The c- fos m-RNA expression was found in the MC3T3-E1 cells cultured in both normal medium (control group) and low Ca medium (low Ca groups). The degree of expression was significantly higher in the low Ca group than in the control group in each treatment period (p < 0.01) and in both groups, after the treatment with FBS or EGF, the expression levels increased with time at 5 and 10 minutes but decreased at 15 minutes. Thereafter, levels increased again to reach to a maximum at 30 minutes after which it decreased rapidly. On the other hand, in both groups, after the treatment with EGF, the expression increased at 30 minute. This suggests that the MC3T3-E1 cells placed in a low calcium environment react to restore cell functioning to normal at the gene level.