Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2024, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (21): 3400-3406.doi: 10.12307/2024.082

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Regulation of bone tissue cells by tumor necrosis factor-alpha

Wang Xin, Wubulikasimu·Mijiti, Huang Jinyong, Xie Zengru   

  1. Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
  • Received:2023-05-27 Accepted:2023-07-10 Online:2024-07-28 Published:2023-09-28
  • Contact: Xie Zengru, Chief physician, Professor, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Wang Xin, Doctoral candidate, Physician, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China Wubulikasimu·Mijiti, Department of Orthopedics and Trauma, First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 82260409 (to XZR); Key Project of Science and Technology Department of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, No. 2021D01D19 (to XZR); Postgraduate Practice Innovation Project of the Autonomous Region, No. XJ2023G165 (to WX)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor-α is a broadly acting inflammatory cytokine that plays an important role in the immune inflammatory response of the body. The current study concluded that tumor necrosis factor-α has significant biological effects on a variety of bone tissue cells.
OBJECTIVE: To summarize the expression and action pathways of tumor necrosis factor-α in osteoblastic and osteoclastic cells to further elucidate the regulatory role of tumor necrosis factor-α on bone tissue cells. 
METHODS: PubMed and CNKI were searched until March 2023, and the Chinese search terms included “tumor necrosis factor α, osteoblast, osteoclast, osteoclast, osteoprogenitor”; the English search terms included “TNF-α, osteoblast, osteoclast, osteocyte, osteoprogenitor cell”. The corresponding criteria were established according to the research needs, and the final literature was screened. Finally, 77 articles were included for review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Tumor necrosis factor-α is participating in regulating the recruitment, appreciation, and differentiation of osteoprogenitor cells, but leads to osteoprogenitor cell stripping and death under specific environments. It also participates in bone resorption directly or indirectly through secreted enzymes. (2) Tumor necrosis factor-α can increase the level of inflammatory factors in the environment by activating relevant signaling pathways in osteoclast lineage cells or directly induce the generation of osteoclasts in specific environments. (3) Tumor necrosis factor-α can inhibit osteogenic differentiation by activating nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway, inhibiting the expression of transcription factors such as RUNX2 and Osterix, and inducing apoptosis and necrotizing apoptosis in osteoblasts. (4) Tumor necrosis factor-α inhibits osteogenesis and promotes osteoclastogenesis by activating the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway in osteocytes and inducing cytokines such as RANKL, SOST, and DKK1, while enhancing apoptosis of the osteocytes, as well as bone resorption around the apoptotic bone tissue. (5) Taken together, the effect of tumor necrosis factor-α in bone tissue is mainly to inhibit osteogenesis and promote osteoclastosis. The biological effect of tumor necrosis factor-α in bone tissue cells is usually dependent on the activation of tumor necrosis factor receptor and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways. (6) The interaction of tumor necrosis factor-α with other tissue cell types surrounding bone tissue and its role in bone immune regulation still deserve attention in future studies.

Key words: tumor necrosis factor-α, osteoblast, osteoclast, osteocyte, osteoprogenitor cell, bone tissue, cytokine, signaling pathway, bone resorption, apoptosis

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