The protein kinase C pathway plays a central role in the fibroblast growth factor-stimulated expression and transactivation activity of Runx2.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)/FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling induces the expression of Runx2, a key transcription factor in osteoblast differentiation, but little is known about the molecular signaling mechanisms that mediate this. Here we examined the role of the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway in regulating Runx2 gene expression and its transactivation function. Treatment with FGF2 or FGF4, or transfection with a vector expressing a mutant FGFR2 that is constitutively activated in the absence of ligand, strongly stimulates Runx2 expression. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays also showed that FGF2 treatment increases the specific binding of Runx2 to the cognate response element in the osteocalcin gene promoter. Blocking PKC completely inhibited FGF2-induced Runx2 expression, whereas mitogen-activate protein kinase inhibitors had no effect. The FGF/FGFR-stimulated 6xOSE2 promoter activity was also blocked by inhibiting PKC, as was the FGF2 stimulation of the DNA-binding activity of Runx2. Experiments with PKC isoform-specific inhibitors and dominant negative isoforms of PKC indicate that PKCdelta is one of key isoforms involved in the FGF2-stimulated Runx2 expression. In addition, experiments with Runx2-knockout cells showed that, although the PKC pathway largely regulates FGF2-stimulated Runx2 activity by up-regulating Runx2 expression, it also modifies Runx2 protein post-translationally and thereby increases its transcriptional activity. Thus, we show for the first time that FGF/FGFR signaling stimulates the DNA-binding and transcriptional activities of Runx2 as well as its expression, and these are largely regulated by the PKC pathway.