EXPRESSION OF PARATHYROID HORMONE-RELATED PEPTIDE (PTHRP) AND PTH PTHRP RECEPTOR IN NEWBORN HUMAN CALVARIA OSTEOBLASTIC CELLS/

We examined the expression of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTH rP) and its receptor in normal newborn human calvaria osteoblastic (NH CO) cells. Northern blot analysis showed that NHCO cells express a sin gle 1.6 kb transcript of PTHrP, which was increased within 1 h (2x) an d peaked at 6 h (7x) after serum treatment. In the culture media, the release of PTHrP peptide was maximally increased (4x) 24 h after the a ddition of serum, as determined by immunoradiometric assay. NHCO cells exhibited a cytoplasmic immunostaining for PTHrP in the presence of s erum, and most PTHrP-positive cells were alkaline phosphatase-negative , suggesting that PTHrP was expressed in undifferentiated cells. Furth ermore, RT-PCR analysis showed that both PTHrP and PTH/PTHrP receptor were expressed in NHCO cells in basal conditions or after stimulation with serum, The maximal PTHrP expression induced by serum suppressed P TH/PTHrP receptor expression, suggesting that PTHrP down-regulated its receptor in NHCO cells. Treatment with 10 nM human PTH(1-34) which bi nds to PTH/PTHrP receptors, increased intracellular cAMP levels and al kaline phosphatase activity, and decreased cell growth, indicating tha t ligand binding to PTH/PTHrP receptors regulates NHCO cell proliferat ion and differentiation. The expression and synthesis of PTHrP and the presence of functional PTH/PTHrP receptors suggest a possible paracri ne mechanism of action of PTHrP in normal human calvaria osteoblastic cells.