Loss of Bcl-3 delays bone fracture healing through activating NF-κB signaling in mesenchymal stem cells

BACKGROUND: Bone fracture healing is a postnatal regenerative process in which fibrocartilaginous callus formation and bony callus formation are important. Bony callus formation requires osteoblastic differentiation of MSCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The formation of callus was assessed by μCT, Safranin-O, H&E and Masson trichrome staining. Osteogenesis of MSCs was analyzed by ALP staining, ARS staining, qRT-PCR and WB. And we also used IF and TOP/FOP Flash luciferase reporter to assess the nuclear translocation of PP65. RESULTS: In this study, we found Bcl-3 showed a significant correlation with bone fracture healing. Results of μCT showed that loss of Bcl-3 delays bone fracture healing. Safranin-O, H&E and Masson trichrome staining confirmed that loss of Bcl-3 impacted the formation of cartilage and woven bone in callus. Further experiments in vitro manifested that Bcl-3-knockdown could inhibit MSCs osteoblastic differentiation through releasing the inhibition on NF-κB signaling by Co-IP, IF staining and luciferase reporter assay. CONCLUSIONS: We unveiled that loss of Bcl-3 could lead to inhibited osteogenic differentiation of MSCs via promoting PP65 nuclear translocation. THE TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THIS ARTICLE: Our data demonstrated that overexpression of Bcl-3 accelerates bone fracture healing, which serves as a promising therapeutic target for bone fracture treatment.