Expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 via adenoviral vector in C2C12 myoblasts induces differentiation into the osteoblast lineage

To examine the effectiveness of a gene transfer of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 into C2C12 myoblasts, we constructed a human BMP-2-expressing replication-deficient adenoviral vector, AxCAOBMP-2, C2C12 cells were infected in vitro with either this viral vector or an Escherichia coli LacZ gene-expressing control adenovirus vector. An efficient gene transfer to the C2C12 cells was confirmed with the LacZ gene-expressing vector by X-gal staining. Abundant BMP-2 expression in C2C12 cells infected with this viral vector was confirmed by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. C2C12 cells transferred with the BMP-2 gene by this vector produced alkaline phosphatase in the cells and also produced and secreted osteocalcin in the culture medium, demonstrating that a gene transfer of BMP-S into C2C12 cells in vitro could convert these cells from myoblast to osteoblast lineage. (C) 1999 Academic Press.