Increased Bone Turnover and Possible Accelerated Fracture Healing in a Murine Model With an Increased Circulating C-Type Natriuretic Peptide

Endocrinology. 2015 Jul;156(7):2518-29. doi: 10.1210/en.2014-1801. Epub 2015 Apr 10.

Abstract

Recent studies have revealed that C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a potent stimulator of endochondral bone growth. Nevertheless, the effect of CNP on bone turnover has not yet been well studied. To elucidate this issue, we investigated the bone phenotype of a mouse model with elevated plasma CNP concentrations (SAP-CNP-Tg mice) in the present study. Microcomputed tomography (CT) analysis revealed less bone in femurs, but not in lumber vertebrae, of young adult SAP-CNP-Tg mice than that of wild-type mice. Bone histomorphometry of the tibiae from 8-week-old SAP-CNP-Tg mice showed enhanced osteoblastic and osteoclastic activities, in accordance with elevated serum levels of osteocalcin and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b, respectively. Next we performed an open and stabilized femoral fracture using 8-week-old SAP-CNP-Tg mice and compared the healing process with age-matched wild-type mice. An immunohistochemical study revealed that CNP and its receptors, natriuretic peptide receptor-B and natriuretic peptide clearance receptor, are expressed in hard calluses of wild-type mice, suggesting a possible role of CNP/natriuretic peptide receptor-B signaling in fracture repair, especially in bone remodeling stage. On micro-CT analysis, a rapid decrease in callus volume was observed in SAP-CNP-Tg mice, followed by a generation of significantly higher new bone volume with a tendency of increased bone strength. In addition, a micro-CT analysis also showed that bone remodeling was accelerated in SAP-CNP-Tg mice, which was also evident from increased serum osteocalcin and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b levels in SAP-CNP-Tg mice at the remodeling stage of fracture repair. These results indicate that CNP activates bone turnover and remodeling in vivo and possibly accelerates fracture healing in our mouse model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Remodeling / genetics*
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism*
  • Bony Callus / metabolism
  • Femur / diagnostic imaging
  • Femur / metabolism*
  • Fracture Healing / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Animal
  • Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type / genetics*
  • Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type / metabolism
  • Osteoblasts / metabolism
  • Osteoclasts / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor / metabolism
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tibia / metabolism*
  • Tibia / pathology
  • X-Ray Microtomography

Substances

  • Serum Amyloid P-Component
  • Natriuretic Peptide, C-Type
  • Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor
  • atrial natriuretic factor receptor B
  • atrial natriuretic factor receptor C