2012
Conditional activation of β‐catenin signaling in mice leads to severe defects in intervertebral disc tissue
Wang M, Tang D, Shu B, Wang B, Jin H, Hao S, Dresser KA, Shen J, Im H, Sampson ER, Rubery PT, Zuscik MJ, Schwarz EM, O'Keefe RJ, Wang Y, Chen D. Conditional activation of β‐catenin signaling in mice leads to severe defects in intervertebral disc tissue. Arthritis & Rheumatism 2012, 64: 2611-2623. PMID: 22422036, PMCID: PMC3632450, DOI: 10.1002/art.34469.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDisc degenerationΒ-cateninDisc tissueExtensive osteophyte formationLow back painDisc tissue samplesIntervertebral disc degenerationPolymerase chain reaction assaysTissue functionBack painReal-time polymerase chain reaction assaysRunt-related transcription factorΒ-catenin protein levelsChain reaction assaysIntervertebral disc tissueOsteophyte formationΒ-catenin levelsImmunohistochemical analysisNormal subjectsMatrix metalloproteinase-13 inhibitorsTransgenic miceHistologic analysisΒ-catenin proteinADAMTS5 expressionGenetic ablation
2011
Smad1 plays an essential role in bone development and postnatal bone formation
Wang M, Jin H, Tang D, Huang S, Zuscik MJ, Chen D. Smad1 plays an essential role in bone development and postnatal bone formation. Osteoarthritis And Cartilage 2011, 19: 751-762. PMID: 21420501, PMCID: PMC3113680, DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2011.03.004.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPostnatal bone formationBone developmentCKO miceAlkaline phosphatase activityCalvarial bone developmentRole of Smad1Essential roleGene expression analysisBone formationOsteoblast-specific deletionCol2a1-Cre transgenic miceTransgenic miceBMP signalingSmad1 geneRelative gene expressionExpression analysisGene expressionConditional knockout miceOsteopenic phenotypeSmad1Formation assaysPhosphatase activityPrimary cellsOsteoblast proliferationKnockout miceTGF‐β signaling plays an essential role in the growth and maintenance of intervertebral disc tissue
Jin H, Shen J, Wang B, Wang M, Shu B, Chen D. TGF‐β signaling plays an essential role in the growth and maintenance of intervertebral disc tissue. FEBS Letters 2011, 585: 1209-1215. PMID: 21420963, PMCID: PMC3090135, DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.03.034.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAnimalsBone Density Conservation AgentsCells, CulturedChondrocytesCollagen Type IIFemaleGrowth PlateHistocytochemistryIntervertebral DiscMaleMatrix Metalloproteinase 13MiceMice, KnockoutMice, TransgenicProtein Serine-Threonine KinasesReceptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type IIReceptors, Transforming Growth Factor betaReverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain ReactionSignal TransductionTamoxifenTime FactorsConceptsKnockout miceTgfbr2 conditional knockout miceMMP13 geneDisc tissueConditional knockout miceGrowth plate chondrocytesIntervertebral disc tissueAnnulus fibrosus cellsTGFBR2 geneTransgenic miceGrowth plate cartilagePostnatal stagesMiceNormal growth plate cartilagePlate cartilageDisc phenotypesDisc cellsNull backgroundPresent studyCartilage growthTissueCartilageCritical roleCellsEmbryonic stages