[HTML][HTML] MSX2 promotes osteogenesis and suppresses adipogenic differentiation of multipotent mesenchymal progenitors

SL Cheng, JS Shao, N Charlton-Kachigian… - Journal of Biological …, 2003 - ASBMB
In the aorta, diabetes activates an osteogenic program that includes expression of bone
morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) and the osteoblast homeoprotein Msx2. To evaluate BMP2-
Msx2 signaling in vascular calcification, we studied primary aortic myofibroblasts. These
cells express vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) markers, respond to BMP2 by up-
regulating Msx2, and undergo osteogenic differentiation with BMP2 treatment or
transduction with a virus encoding Msx2. The osteoblast factor osterix (Osx) is up-regulated …