Objective To investigate whether mTORC1 mediates the differentiation of pre-osteoblast MC3T3-E1 into osteoblasts by inhibiting autophagy to regulate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway under hormone environment. Methods Pre-osteoblasts MC3T3-E1 were grouped and processed as follows: Control group, Dexamethasone (Dexamethasone, DEX) group, DEX+mTORC1 activator group, in which DEX was 1 μM and mTORC1 activator MHY1485 was 10 μM, respectively. ALP and ARS staining were used to detect the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1. The expressions of key gene Raptor in the composition of mTORC1, autophagy-related genes Beclin-1 and Atg5, Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway related genes Wnt3 and β-catenin, and osteogenic related gene Runx2 were detected with real-time PCR. The protein expression levels of Raptor, Beclin-1, Atg5, Wnt3, β-catenin, and Runx2 were detected with Western blotting. Results Compared to those in the control group, ALP and ARS staining in the DEX group were lighter, and the osteogenic related gene Runx2 mRNA and protein expression decreased, indicating that DEX inhibited the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1. The mRNA and protein levels of Raptor decreased, and mRNA and protein expression levels of autophagy-related genes Beclin-1 and Atg5 increased, and mRNA and protein expressions of Wnt3 and β-catenin decreased, indicating that DEX induced MC3T3-E1 autophagy. Compared to those in the DEX group, ALP and ARS staining in the DEX+mTORC1 activator group were darker, mRNA and protein expressions of Raptor, Wnt3, β-catenin, and Runx2 were up-regulated, and mRNA and protein expressions of Beclin-1 and Atg5 decreased, indicating that the autophagy was inhibited and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was up-regulated after the application of mTORC1 activator, thereby reversing the inhibitory effect of DEX on the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 into osteoblasts. Conclusion Under hormone environment, MC3T3-E1 osteogenic differentiation is significantly inhibited, mTORC1 is down-regulated, autophagy is activated, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is inhibited. The application of mTORC1 activator reverses this process, indicating that mTORC1 inhibits autophagy and regulates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to mediate the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 under hormone environment. |