Effects of osteoblast autophagy on glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the mechanism by which osteoblast autophagy participated in glucocorticoid-induced femoral head necrosis (FHN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male specific-pathogen-free C57 mice (age, one month; weighing 20-25 g) were randomly divided into blank control, dexamethasone and rapamycin-dexamethasone groups (n=10). After six weeks of intervention, right femoral head was obtained to observe morphology and to calculate percentage of empty lacunae. MC3T3-E1 cells were randomly divided into normal, dexamethasone, rapamycin and dexamethasone-rapamycin groups, and cultured for 24 h. Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-I, LC3-II, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Beclin-1 protein expressions were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: In rapamycin-dexamethasone group, some bone trabeculae in medullary cavity ruptured and atrophied, and subchondral bone underwent local necrosis. The total apoptosis rates of dexamethasone and rapamycin-dexamethasone groups surpassed that of blank control group, and the former two groups had significantly different rates (p<0.001). LC3-II/LC3-I of dexamethasone group was lower than those of rapamycin and dexamethasone-rapamycin groups (p<0.001), and the ratio of rapamycin group surpassed that of dexamethasone-rapamycin group (p<0.001). Dexamethasone group had higher mTOR protein expression than those of rapamycin and dexamethasone- rapamycin groups (p<0.001), and the expression of rapamycin group was lower than that of dexamethasone-rapamycin group (p<0.001). The Beclin-1 protein expression of dexamethasone group was lower than those of rapamycin and dexamethasone- rapamycin groups (p<0.001), and the expression of rapamycin group exceeded that of dexamethasone-rapamycin group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Osteoblast autophagy may play a crucial protective role in dexamethasone-induced FHN. The attenuation of autophagy may be related to the affected expressions of key autophagy regulators mTOR and Beclin-1.