Cav1.3 is upregulated in osteoporosis rat model and promotes osteoclast differentiation from preosteoclast cell line RAW264.7

Background: Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic osteopathy with increased bone fragility and increased risk of fracture. Osteoclasts (OC) are the key target cells in the treatment of osteoporosis. We aimed to research the role of L-type calcium channel protein Cav1.3 in OC differentiation in this study. Methods: OP rat model was established to detect the expression level of Cav1.3. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase assay was used to measure the differentiation of osteoclast during receptor activator of nuclear factor κ-Β ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclasts formation. The expression of bone differentiation-related proteins were detected by western blot analysis. Results: Cav1.3 is upregulated in OP rats. Knockdown of Cav1.3 inhibits the differentiation of RAW264.7. Cav1.3 regulates the cell differentiation and bone resorption of RAW264.7 during RANKL-induced osteoclasts formation, which is accompanied by upregulation of CaMK II, p-CERB, AP-1, NFATC1, and NF-κB. Conclusion: Cav1.3 plays an important role in osteoporosis and the differentiation of osteoclast, which might be involved with the bone differentiation-related proteins.