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
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