Research Progress of Combined Application of All-trans Retinoic Acid and Bone Morphogenetic Protein in Bone Metabolism

Abstract

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can both promote and inhibit osteogenic differentiation of cells, which is closely related to the concentration, dose and cell type. Low dose of ATRA inhibited the function of osteoclasts and promoted the differentiation of osteoblasts, thus achieving bone remodeling: Bone formation is achieved through the coordination of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. ATRA can be combined with various factors to produce different effects, among which, when combined with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), the bone formation effect is significant. Compared with homologous dimer, BMP heterodimer can repair the bone defect area more effectively with a smaller dose, and promote the formation of bone tissue. Reduce the probability of secondary lesions such as swelling in the operative area and excessive osteogenesis, and greatly reduce the economic burden of patients. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that ATRA and BMP2/7 combined with mouse embryonic osteoblast precursor cells (MC3T3-E1) had synergistic effect on osteogenesis. This article reviews the recent progress in the studies on the combined effects of ATRA and BMP in bone metabolism.