The role of transforming growth factor-beta in the modulation of mouse cranial suture fusion

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) is actively expressed during mouse calvarial suture fusion. However, the role TGF-β plays in this process remains unclear. The present study was performed to investigate whether modulation of suture fusion can be achieved by blocking the bioavailability of TGF-β. Both in vitro and in vivo models were studied. For the in vitro model, the posterior frontal sutures from 24-day-old mice were harvested and cultured for 2, 3, or 4 weeks in the presence of 20 μg/ml of panspecific TGF-β polyclonal antibody or rabbit IgG as a control. Culture media were changed every 48 hours and fresh antibody or rabbit IgG was added during each media change. Suture fusion was evaluated by histometric analysis. For the in vivo model, TGF-β antisense plasmid DNA complexed with lipofectamine was injected into the subgaleal layer along the frontal suture of 22-day-old mice under anesthesia. For control groups, empty vector plasmid DNA⁺ complexed with lipofectamine was used. The posterior frontal sutures were harvested at various time points and examined by histometric analysis and reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction for the detection of messenger RNA. The in vitro studies demonstrated that the presence of TGF-β antibody in culture media delayed posterior frontal suture fusion. By 3 weeks in culture, new bone area was only 20 percent of that in control groups as determined by histometric analysis. By the end of the fourth week, suture fusion was only 25 percent completed compared with controls. The in vivo studies demonstrated that, compared with the control, posterior frontal suture fusion was significantly delayed in the animals injected with antisense plasmid DNA. Suture fusion was complete in control animals by postnatal day 45. There was a 70 percent inhibition of suture fusion (new bone area) in antisense groups measured with histometric analysis. Four days after antisense plasmid DNA injection (age of 26 days), messenger RNA expression for TGF-β1 was 77 percent lower than in the control group. We have demonstrated that modulation of TGF-β affects calvarial suture formation in vitro and in vivo with TGF-β antibody and TGF-β1 antisense plasmid DNA treatment, respectively. These data indicate that TGF-β may play a causative role in mouse posterior frontal suture fusion. Modulation TGF-β1 gene expression in vivo can alter the natural history of cranial suture fusion.