Expression of genes for bone morphogenetic proteins BMP-2, BMP-4 and BMP-6 in various parts of the human skeleton

Iwona Kochanowska,Bartosz Marczyński,Maria Dytko,Slawomir Chaberek,Andrzej Wojtowicz,Kazimierz Ostrowski,Krzysztof Włodarski

doi:10.1186/1471-2474-8-128

Abstract

BackgroundDifferences in duration of bone healing in various parts of the human skeleton are common experience for orthopaedic surgeons. The reason for these differences is not obvious and not clear.MethodsIn this paper we decided to measure by the use of real-time RT-PCR technique the level of expression of genes for some isoforms of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), whose role is proven in bone formation, bone induction and bone turnover. Seven bone samples recovered from various parts of skeletons from six cadavers of young healthy men who died in traffic accidents were collected. Activity of genes for BMP-2, -4 and -6 was measured by the use of fluorescent SYBR Green I.ResultsIt was found that expression of m-RNA for BMP-2 and BMP-4 is higher in trabecular bone in epiphyses of long bones, cranial flat bones and corpus mandibulae then in the compact bone of diaphyses of long bones. In all samples examined the expression of m-RNA for BMP-4 was higher than for BMP-2.ConclusionIt was shown that m-RNA for BMP-6 is not expressed in the collected samples at all. It is postulated that differences in the level of activation of genes for BMPs is one of the important factors which determine the differences in duration of bone healing of various parts of the human skeleton.

Highlights

Differences in duration of bone healing in various parts of the human skeleton are common experience for orthopaedic surgeons
The use of β-actin gene expression as a housekeeping gene allowed for calculation of arbitrary units and for comparison of Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs)-2, BMP-4 and BMP-6 genes expression between them and between different types of bones
In this paper we demonstrated the differences in expression of m-RNA for isoforms BMP-2, BMP-4 in various parts of the human skeleton (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

Differences in duration of bone healing in various parts of the human skeleton are common experience for orthopaedic surgeons. The reason for these differences is not obvious and not clear. Bone turnover is under the control of two cell populations – osteoblasts and osteoclasts. These cells are influenced by many factors which control the balance of bone formation and bone resorption. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2007, 8:128 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/8/128 same cell populations and factors are active in bone healing. The complexity of bone turnover involves the long list of about 200 factors influencing each other in various physiological and/or pathological situations. The new research [1] data make the situation even more complex

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