Osteoblast-specific expression of Fra-2/AP-1 controls adiponectin and osteocalcin expression and affects metabolism.

Recent studies have established that the skeleton functions as an endocrine organ affecting metabolism through the osteoblast-derived hormone osteocalcin (Ocn). However, it is not fully understood how many transcription factors expressed in osteoblasts regulate the endocrine function. Here, we show that mice with osteoblast-specific deletion of Fra-2 (Fosl2) have low bone mass but increased body weight. In contrast, transgenic expression of Fra-2 in osteoblasts leads to increased bone mass and decreased body weight accompanied by reduced serum glucose and insulin levels, improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In addition, mice lacking Fra-2 have reduced levels of circulating Ocn, but high adiponectin (Adipoq), whereas Fra-2 transgenic mice exhibit high Ocn and low Adipoq levels. Moreover, we found that Adipoq was expressed in osteoblasts and that this expression was transcriptionally repressed by Fra-2. These results demonstrate that Fra-2 expression in osteoblasts represents a novel paradigm for a transcription factor controlling the endocrine function of the skeleton.

Fra-2/AP-1 controls bone formation by regulating osteoblast differentiation and collagen production.

The activator protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor complex, in particular the Fos proteins, is an important regulator of bone homeostasis. Fra-2 (Fosl2), a Fos-related protein of the AP-1 family, is expressed in bone cells, and newborn mice lacking Fra-2 exhibit defects in chondrocytes and osteoclasts. Here we show that Fra-2-deficient osteoblasts display a differentiation defect both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, Fra-2-overexpressing mice are osteosclerotic because of increased differentiation of osteoblasts, which appears to be cell autonomous. Importantly, the osteoblast-specific osteocalcin (Oc) gene and collagen1α2 (col1α2) are transcriptional targets of Fra-2 in both murine and human bone cells. In addition, Fra-2, Oc, and col1 are expressed in stromal cells of human chondroblastic and osteoblastic osteosarcomas (Os's) as well as during osteoblast differentiation of human Os cell lines. These findings reveal a novel function of Fra-2/AP-1 as a positive regulator of bone and matrix formation in mice and humans.

The transcription factor Fra-2 regulates the production of extracellular matrix in systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: Fra-2 belongs to the activator protein 1 family of transcription factors. Mice transgenic for Fra-2 develop a systemic fibrotic disease with vascular manifestations similar to those of systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether Fra-2 plays a role in the pathogenesis of SSc and to identify the molecular mechanisms by which Fra-2 induces fibrosis. METHODS: Dermal thickness and the number of myofibroblasts were determined in skin sections from Fra-2-transgenic and wild-type mice. The expression of Fra-2 in SSc patients and in animal models of SSc was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Fra-2, transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta), and ERK signaling in SSc fibroblasts were inhibited using small interfering RNA, neutralizing antibodies, and small-molecule inhibitors. RESULTS: Fra-2-transgenic mice developed a skin fibrosis with increases in dermal thickness and increased myofibroblast differentiation starting at age 12 weeks. The expression of Fra-2 was up-regulated in SSc patients and in different mouse models of SSc. Stimulation with TGFbeta and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) significantly increased the expression of Fra-2 in SSc fibroblasts and induced DNA binding of Fra-2 in an ERK-dependent manner. Knockdown of Fra-2 potently reduced the stimulatory effects of TGFbeta and PDGF and decreased the release of collagen from SSc fibroblasts. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that Fra-2 is overexpressed in SSc and acts as a novel downstream mediator of the profibrotic effects of TGFbeta and PDGF. Since transgenic overexpression of Fra-2 causes not only fibrosis but also vascular disease, Fra-2 might be an interesting novel candidate for molecular-targeted therapies for SSc.

Aberrant selection and function of invariant NKT cells in the absence of AP-1 transcription factor Fra-2.

The transcription factors mediating the development of CD1d-restricted invariant NKT (iNKT) cells remain incompletely described. Here, we show that loss of the AP-1 transcription factor Fra-2 causes a marked increase in the number of both thymic and peripheral iNKT cells, without affecting the development of other T-lineage cells. The defect is cell-autonomous and is evident in the earliest iNKT precursors. We find that iNKT cells expressing the lower affinity TCRVbeta8 are proportionally overrepresented in the absence of Fra-2, indicating altered selection of iNKT cells. There is also widespread dysregulation of AP-1-directed gene expression. In the periphery, mature Fra-2-deficient iNKT cells are able to participate in an immune response, but they have an altered response to Ag, showing increased expansion and producing increased amounts of IL-2 and IL-4 compared with their wild-type counterparts. Unusually, naive Fra-2-deficient T cells also rapidly produce IL-2 and IL-4 upon activation. Taken together, these data define Fra-2 as necessary for regulation of normal iNKT cell development and function, and they demonstrate the central role played by the AP-1 family in this lineage.

Osteoclast size is controlled by Fra-2 through LIF/LIF-receptor signalling and hypoxia.

Osteoclasts are multinucleated haematopoietic cells that resorb bone. Increased osteoclast activity causes osteoporosis, a disorder resulting in a low bone mass and a high risk of fractures. Increased osteoclast size and numbers are also a hallmark of other disorders, such as Paget's disease and multiple myeloma. The protein c-Fos, a component of the AP-1 transcription factor complex, is essential for osteoclast differentiation. Here we show that the Fos-related protein Fra-2 controls osteoclast survival and size. The bones of Fra-2-deficient newborn mice have giant osteoclasts, and signalling through leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and its receptor is impaired. Similarly, newborn animals lacking LIF have giant osteoclasts, and we show that LIF is a direct transcriptional target of Fra-2 and c-Jun. Moreover, bones deficient in Fra-2 and LIF are hypoxic and express increased levels of hypoxia-induced factor 1alpha (HIF1alpha) and Bcl-2. Overexpression of Bcl-2 is sufficient to induce giant osteoclasts in vivo, whereas Fra-2 and LIF affect HIF1alpha through transcriptional modulation of the HIF prolyl hydroxylase PHD2. This pathway is operative in the placenta, because specific inactivation of Fra-2 in the embryo alone does not cause hypoxia or the giant osteoclast phenotype. Thus placenta-induced hypoxia during embryogenesis leads to the formation of giant osteoclasts in young pups. These findings offer potential targets for the treatment of syndromes associated with increased osteoclastogenesis.

Simultaneous generation of fra-2 conditional and fra-2 knock-out mice.

Loss of function mouse models comprise knock-out mice, where a gene is deleted in the germline, and conditional knock-out mice with somatic deletion of a floxed allele in defined tissues. Both types of mice are used for comprehensive studies of gene functions in vivo. Here, we describe a simple method for simultaneous generation of mice with conditional or knock-out alleles for the transcription factor fra-2 (Fos-related antigen 2) using a single embryonic stem (ES) cell clone. ES cells with a floxed fra-2 allele were transiently transfected with a Cre-recombinase expression plasmid and plated at low density. Most of the resulting ES cell colonies consisted of a mixture of cells that have either retained or lost the conditional allele. We demonstrate that these mixed ES cell clones can be directly used for generation of chimeras that give rise to offspring with conditional or knock-out alleles simultaneously. This strategy shortens the time and reduces the number of germline transmission events to generate genetically modified mice.