The mechanosensitive adhesion G protein-coupled receptor 133 (GPR133/ADGRD1) enhances bone formation

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Juliane Lehmann - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Hui Lin - , Shandong University (Author)
  • Zihao Zhang - , Shandong University (Author)
  • Maren Wiermann - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Albert M Ricken - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Franziska Brinkmann - , Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Jana Brendler - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Christian Ullmann - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Luisa Bayer - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Sandra Berndt - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Anja Penk - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Nadine Winkler - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Franz Wolfgang Hirsch - , University Hospital Leipzig (Author)
  • Thomas Fuhs - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Josef Käs - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Peng Xiao - , Shandong University (Author)
  • Torsten Schöneberg - , Leipzig University (Author)
  • Martina Rauner - , Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Jin-Peng Sun - , Shandong University (Author)
  • Ines Liebscher - , Leipzig University (Author)

Abstract

Osteoporosis represents an increasing health and socioeconomic burden on aging societies. Current therapeutic options often come with potentially severe side effects or lack long-term efficacy, highlighting the urgent need for more effective treatments. Identifying novel drug targets requires a thorough understanding of their physiological roles. Genome-wide association studies in humans have linked gene variants of the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor 133 (GPR133/ADGRD1) to variations in bone mineral density and body height. In this study, we explore the impact of GPR133/ADGRD1 on osteoblast differentiation and function. Constitutive and osteoblast-specific knockouts of Gpr133/Adgrd1 in mice lead to reduced cortical bone mass and trabecularization in the femurs and vertebrae - features characteristic of osteoporosis. This osteopenic phenotype in receptor-deficient mice is caused by impaired osteoblast function, which, in turn, promotes increased osteoclast activity. At the molecular level, GPR133/ADGRD1 regulates osteoblast function and differentiation through a combined activation mechanism involving interaction with its endogenous ligand, protein tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7), and mechanical forces. This is demonstrated in vitro through stretch assays and in vivo via a mechanical loading experiment. Further in vitro analysis shows that GPR133/ADGRD1-mediated osteoblast differentiation is driven by cAMP-dependent activation of the β-catenin signaling pathway. Activation of GPR133/ADGRD1 with the receptor-specific ligand AP-970/43482503 (AP503) enhances osteoblast function and differentiation, both in vitro and in vivo, significantly alleviating osteoporosis in a mouse ovariectomy model. These findings position GPR133/ADGRD1 as a promising therapeutic target for osteoporosis and other diseases characterized by reduced bone mass.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number199
Number of pages17
JournalSignal Transduction and Targeted Therapy
Volume10
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 30 Jun 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC12206920
ORCID /0000-0003-1059-5506/work/187563073
Scopus 105009402609
ORCID /0009-0001-9754-1334/work/189708620

Keywords

Keywords

  • Animals, Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics, Osteogenesis/genetics, Mice, Osteoblasts/metabolism, Humans, Cell Differentiation/genetics, Osteoporosis/genetics, Mice, Knockout, Osteoclasts/metabolism, Bone Density/genetics