Endothelial ZEB1 promotes angiogenesis-dependent bone formation and reverses osteoporosis

Nat Commun. 2020 Jan 23;11(1):460. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-14076-3.

Abstract

Recent interest in the control of bone metabolism has focused on a specialized subset of CD31hiendomucinhi vessels, which are reported to couple angiogenesis with osteogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms that link these processes together remain largely undefined. Here we show that the zinc-finger transcription factor ZEB1 is predominantly expressed in CD31hiendomucinhi endothelium in human and mouse bone. Endothelial cell-specific deletion of ZEB1 in mice impairs CD31hiendomucinhi vessel formation in the bone, resulting in reduced osteogenesis. Mechanistically, ZEB1 deletion reduces histone acetylation on Dll4 and Notch1 promoters, thereby epigenetically suppressing Notch signaling, a critical pathway that controls bone angiogenesis and osteogenesis. ZEB1 expression in skeletal endothelium declines in osteoporotic mice and humans. Administration of Zeb1-packaged liposomes in osteoporotic mice restores impaired Notch activity in skeletal endothelium, thereby promoting angiogenesis-dependent osteogenesis and ameliorating bone loss. Pharmacological reversal of the low ZEB1/Notch signaling may exert therapeutic benefit in osteoporotic patients by promoting angiogenesis-dependent bone formation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / genetics
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / pharmacology
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / pharmacology
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Middle Aged
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / genetics
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic / physiology*
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects
  • Osteogenesis / genetics
  • Osteogenesis / physiology*
  • Osteoporosis / therapy
  • Ovariectomy
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Receptor, Notch1 / genetics
  • Receptor, Notch1 / metabolism
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1 / genetics
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • DLL4 protein, mouse
  • Notch1 protein, mouse
  • PECAM1 protein, human
  • Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Receptor, Notch1
  • ZEB1 protein, human
  • ZEB1 protein, mouse
  • Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1