Enhanced expression of the osteoblastic phenotype on substrates that modulate fibronectin conformation and integrin receptor binding

Integrins represent the primary mechanism of cell-extracellular matrix interactions and control cell morphology, proliferation, and differentiation. We have previously shown that substrate-dependent modulation of adsorbed fibronectin (Fn) conformation alters α5β1 integrin binding to Fn and directs C2C12 myoblast proliferation and differentiation (Mol. Biol. Cell 10 (1999) 785). The model substrates used in these experiments were bacteriological (untreated) polystyrene (B), tissue culture polystyrene (T), and type-I collagen-coated T (C). In the present study, we examined MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cell differentiation on Fn-coated B, T, and C substrates. Immunofluorescence staining revealed substrate-dependent differences in integrin α5β1 binding and clustering into focal adhesions (C>T>B), consistent with our previous integrin binding analysis. Alkaline phosphatase activity and matrix mineralization showed substrate-dependent differences (C>T>B, p<0.05). Similar trends were observed for alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, and bone sialoprotein gene expression. Blocking experiments with antibodies directed against Fn completely inhibited matrix mineralization on Fn-coated C, indicating that Fn is critical to expression of the osteoblastic phenotype on this extracellular matrix component. These substrate-dependent differences in osteoblast differentiation correlated with differences in α5β1 binding, suggesting that these differences arise from substrate modulation of integrin-matrix interactions. Substrate-dependent modulation of cell function may provide a versatile mechanism to control cell responses in numerous biomedical applications.