Searchable abstracts of presentations at key conferences on calcified tissues
Bone Abstracts (2016) 5 P51 | DOI: 10.1530/boneabs.5.P51

ECTS2016 Poster Presentations Bone development/growth and fracture repair (35 abstracts)

Rictor plays a critical role in bone mass and strength with the involvement of mtorc2 pathway in osteoblasts

Dong-mei Liu 1 , Lin Zhao 1, , Ting-ting Liu 1 , Pei-lin Jiao 1 , Dian-dian Zhao 1 , Mei-Shu Shi 3 , Bei Tao 1 , Li-hao Sun 1 , Hong-yan Zhao 1 & Jian-min Liu 1


1Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Rui-jin Hospital, Shanghai, China; 2Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, ZhongShan Hospital, Shanghai, China; 3PharmaLegacy Laboratories Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China.


Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) functions mainly in the form of two complexes, namely mTORC1 and mTORC2, which are distinct in their unique components, raptor and rictor. Here, we focused on bone phenotypes in mice with a specific deletion of rictor using a Cre recombinase gene whose expression was driven by the promoter of osteocalcin. All procedures involving mice were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the local admin. DXA analysis showed a significant reduction in BMD of the Rictorob−/− mice (53.5 vs 59.3 mg/cm2, P<0.001). Furthermore, micro-computed tomography, histomorphometric, and molecular biological analyses revealed a marked impairment of the cortical bone growth, as well as minor changes in trabecular bone, of the Rictorob−/− mice. Cortical tissue mass (1138.17 vs 1179.52 mg/ccmHA, P<0.01) and thickness (162.4 vs 193.6 m, P<0.001) of the femoral mid-shaft were dramatically reduced, with unusual increases in porosity (0.69 vs 0.36%, P<0.01) and marrow area (0.98 vs 0.91 mm2, P<0.05) by micro-CT. These changes were associated with significantly decreased bone mechanical properties of the femurs as reflected by reduced peak load (15.03 vs 20.54 N, P<0.001) and stiffness (43.47 vs 58.98 N/mm, P<0.001). Thinner trabeculae were found in the lumbar spine (25.81 vs 33.22 m, P<0.001) with relatively normal structural indices of trabecular numbers and separation by histomorphometry. However, there were no significant changes in the trabecular bone of the distal femur by micro-CT. A lower rate of bone turnover was observed, as the consequence of the decreased individual osteoblast and osteoclast activities. Furthermore, osteoblast differentiation was reduced, with down-regulation of mTORC2 signaling activity as shown in primary cultures of osteoblasts that did not contain rictor. In conclusion, expression of rictor in osteoblasts is essential for the maintenance of normal bone modeling/remodeling and bone mass, especially for the normal accruement of cortical bone.

Volume 5

43rd Annual European Calcified Tissue Society Congress

Rome, Italy
14 May 2016 - 17 May 2016

European Calcified Tissue Society 

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