TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of extracellular matrix phosphorylation on energy dissipation in bone
AU - Bailey, Stacyann
AU - Sroga, Grazyna E
AU - Hoac, Betty
AU - Katsamenis, Orestis L
AU - Wang, Zehai
AU - Bouropoulos, Nikolaos
AU - McKee, Marc D
AU - Sørensen, Esben S
AU - Thurner, Philipp J
AU - Vashishth, Deepak
N1 - © 2020, Bailey et al.
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Protein phosphorylation, critical for cellular regulatory mechanisms, is implicated in various diseases. However, it remains unknown whether heterogeneity in phosphorylation of key structural proteins alters tissue integrity and organ function. Here, osteopontin phosphorylation level declined in hypo- and hyper- phosphatemia mouse models exhibiting skeletal deformities. Phosphorylation increased cohesion between osteopontin polymers, and adhesion of osteopontin to hydroxyapatite, enhancing energy dissipation. Fracture toughness, a measure of bone's mechanical competence, increased with ex-vivo phosphorylation of wildtype mouse bones and declined with ex-vivo dephosphorylation. In osteopontin-deficient mice, global matrix phosphorylation level was not associated with toughness. Our findings suggest that phosphorylated osteopontin promotes fracture toughness in a dose-dependent manner through increased interfacial bond formation. In the absence of osteopontin, phosphorylation increases electrostatic repulsion, and likely protein alignment and interfilament distance leading to decreased fracture resistance. These mechanisms may be of importance in other connective tissues, and the key to unraveling cell-matrix interactions in diseases.
AB - Protein phosphorylation, critical for cellular regulatory mechanisms, is implicated in various diseases. However, it remains unknown whether heterogeneity in phosphorylation of key structural proteins alters tissue integrity and organ function. Here, osteopontin phosphorylation level declined in hypo- and hyper- phosphatemia mouse models exhibiting skeletal deformities. Phosphorylation increased cohesion between osteopontin polymers, and adhesion of osteopontin to hydroxyapatite, enhancing energy dissipation. Fracture toughness, a measure of bone's mechanical competence, increased with ex-vivo phosphorylation of wildtype mouse bones and declined with ex-vivo dephosphorylation. In osteopontin-deficient mice, global matrix phosphorylation level was not associated with toughness. Our findings suggest that phosphorylated osteopontin promotes fracture toughness in a dose-dependent manner through increased interfacial bond formation. In the absence of osteopontin, phosphorylation increases electrostatic repulsion, and likely protein alignment and interfilament distance leading to decreased fracture resistance. These mechanisms may be of importance in other connective tissues, and the key to unraveling cell-matrix interactions in diseases.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85098742296&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7554/eLife.58184
DO - 10.7554/eLife.58184
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33295868
SN - 2050-084X
VL - 9
SP - 1
EP - 19
JO - eLife
JF - eLife
M1 - e58184
ER -