Characterization of the osteoblast-like cell phenotype under microgravity conditions in the NASA-approved Rotating Wall Vessel bioreactor (RWV).

Weightlessness induces bone loss in humans and animal models. We employed the NASA-approved Rotating Wall Vessel bioreactor (RWV) to develop osteoblast-like cell cultures under microgravity and evaluate osteoblast phenotype and cell function. Rat osteoblast-like cell line (ROS.SMER#14) was grown in the RWV at a calculated gravity of 0.008g. For comparison, aliquots of cells were grown in conventional tissue culture dishes or in Non-Rotating Wall Vessels (N-RWV) maintained at unit gravity. In RWV, osteoblasts showed high levels of alkaline phosphatase expression and activity, and elevated expression of osteopontin, osteocalcin, and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4). In contrast, the expression of osteonectin, bone sialoprotein II and BMP-2 were unaltered compared to cells in conventional culture conditions. These observations are consistent with a marked osteoblast phenotype. However, we observed that in RWV osteoblasts showed reduced proliferation. Furthermore, DNA nucleosome-size fragmentation was revealed both morphologically, by in situ staining with the Thymine-Adenine binding dye bis-benzimide, and electrophoretically, by DNA laddering. Surprisingly, no p53, nor bcl-2/bax, nor caspase 8 pathways were activated by microgravity, therefore the intracellular cascade leading to programmed cell death remains to be elucidated. Finally, consistent with an osteoclast-stimulating effect by microgravity, osteoblasts cultured in RWV showed upregulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA, and IL-6 proved to be active at stimulating osteoclast formation and resorbing activity in vitro. We conclude that under microgravity, reduced osteoblast life span and enhanced IL-6 expression may result in inefficient osteoblast- and increased osteoclast-activity, respectively, thus potentially contributing to bone loss in individuals subjected to weightlessness.