Osteocytic cells exposed to titanium particles increase sclerostin expression and inhibit osteoblastic cell differentiation mostly via direct cell-to-cell contact.

The mechanism underlying induction of periprosthetic osteolysis by wear particles remains unclear. In this study, cultured MLO-Y4 osteocytic cells were exposed to different concentrations of titanium (Ti) particles. The results showed that Ti particles increased expression of the osteocytic marker SOST/sclerostin in a dose-dependent manner, accelerated apoptosis of MLO-Y4 cells, increased the expression of IL-6, TNF-α and connexin 43. SOST silence alleviated the increase of MLO-Y4 cells apoptosis, decreased the expression of IL-6, TNF-α and connexin 43 caused by Ti particles. The different co-culture systems of MLO-Y4 cells with MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells were further used to observe the effects of osteocytic cells' changes induced by Ti particles on osteoblastic cells. MLO-Y4 cells treated with Ti particles inhibited dramatically differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells mostly through direct cell-to-cell contact. SOST silence attenuated the inhibition effects of Ti-induced MLO-Y4 on MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic differentiation, which ALP level and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells increased and the expression of ALP, OCN and Runx2 increased compared to the Ti-treated group. Taken together, Ti particles had negative effects on MLO-Y4 cells and the impact of Ti particles on osteocytic cells was extensive, which may further inhibit osteoblastic differentiation mostly through intercellular contact directly. SOST/sclerostin plays an important role in the process of mutual cell interaction. These findings may help to understand the effect of osteocytes in wear particle-induced osteolysis.