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FGF23 directly inhibits osteoprogenitor differentiation in Dmp1-knockout mice
Guillaume Courbon, Dominik Kentrup, Jane Joy Thomas, Xueyan Wang, Hao-Hsuan Tsai, Jadeah Spindler, John Von Drasek, Laura Mazudie Ndjonko, Marta Martinez-Calle, Sana Lynch, Lauriane Hivert, Xiaofang Wang, Wenhan Chang, Jian Q. Feng, Valentin David, Aline Martin
Guillaume Courbon, Dominik Kentrup, Jane Joy Thomas, Xueyan Wang, Hao-Hsuan Tsai, Jadeah Spindler, John Von Drasek, Laura Mazudie Ndjonko, Marta Martinez-Calle, Sana Lynch, Lauriane Hivert, Xiaofang Wang, Wenhan Chang, Jian Q. Feng, Valentin David, Aline Martin
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Research Article Bone biology Metabolism

FGF23 directly inhibits osteoprogenitor differentiation in Dmp1-knockout mice

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Abstract

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphate-regulating (Pi-regulating) hormone produced by bone. Hereditary hypophosphatemic disorders are associated with FGF23 excess, impaired skeletal growth, and osteomalacia. Blocking FGF23 became an effective therapeutic strategy in X-linked hypophosphatemia, but testing remains limited in autosomal recessive hypophosphatemic rickets (ARHR). This study investigates the effects of Pi repletion and bone-specific deletion of Fgf23 on bone and mineral metabolism in the dentin matrix protein 1–knockout (Dmp1KO) mouse model of ARHR. At 12 weeks, Dmp1KO mice showed increased serum FGF23 and parathyroid hormone levels, hypophosphatemia, impaired growth, rickets, and osteomalacia. Six weeks of dietary Pi supplementation exacerbated FGF23 production, hyperparathyroidism, renal Pi excretion, and osteomalacia. In contrast, osteocyte-specific deletion of Fgf23 resulted in a partial correction of FGF23 excess, which was sufficient to fully restore serum Pi levels but only partially corrected the bone phenotype. In vitro, we show that FGF23 directly impaired osteoprogenitors’ differentiation and that DMP1 deficiency contributed to impaired mineralization independent of FGF23 or Pi levels. In conclusion, FGF23-induced hypophosphatemia is only partially responsible for the bone defects observed in Dmp1KO mice. Our data suggest that combined DMP1 repletion and FGF23 blockade could effectively correct ARHR-associated mineral and bone disorders.

Authors

Guillaume Courbon, Dominik Kentrup, Jane Joy Thomas, Xueyan Wang, Hao-Hsuan Tsai, Jadeah Spindler, John Von Drasek, Laura Mazudie Ndjonko, Marta Martinez-Calle, Sana Lynch, Lauriane Hivert, Xiaofang Wang, Wenhan Chang, Jian Q. Feng, Valentin David, Aline Martin

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Figure 9

FGF23 targets osteoprogenitors via FGFR/ERK/PI3K signaling.

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FGF23 targets osteoprogenitors via FGFR/ERK/PI3K signaling.
Single-cell ...
Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis was performed on bone marrow stromal cells isolated from 12-week-old WT (n = 3), Fgf23Dmp1-cKO (n = 3), Dmp1KO (n = 3), and Dmp1KO Fgf23Dmp1-cKO (n = 3) mice and cultured for 21 days in osteoblast differentiation medium containing 10 mM of beta-glycerophosphate. (A) Venn diagram identifies genes showing altered expression in Dmp1KO but not in Dmp1KO Fgf23cKO osteoblasts (colored area) in each cluster of differentiation. (B) Heatmaps represent the expression of genes identified in A in the osteoprogenitor cluster (green dot) and used in Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) to define the most represented canonical pathways regulated by FGF23. (C–J) Violin plots representing the expression of most regulated target genes in Dmp1KO and corrected in Dmp1KO Fgf23cKO osteoprogenitors. (K) IPA gene network analysis showing most connected gene targets in the osteoprogenitor cluster and identifying FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1), ERK1/2, and PI3K/AKT as common regulators of these targets. Statistical tests were Mann-Whitney’s U test and corrected by the false discovery rate (P < 0.1).

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