Aluminum trichloride inhibits osteoblastic differentiation through inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in rat osteoblasts

Exposure to aluminum (Al) suppresses bone formation. Osteoblastic differentiation plays a key role in the process of bone formation. However, the effect of Al on osteoblastic differentiation is still controversial, and the mechanism remains unclear. To investigate the effect of Al on osteoblastic differentiation and whether Wnt signaling pathway was involved in it, the primary rat osteoblasts were exposed to 1/40 IC50, 1/20 IC50 and 1/10 IC50 of aluminum trichloride (AlCl3) for 24 h, respectively. The activity analysis of alkaline phosphate, qRT-PCR analysis of type I collagen, alkaline phosphate, Wnt3a and Dkk-1, Western blot analysis of p-GSK3β, GSK3β and β-catenin protein and Immunofluorescence staining for β-catenin suggested that AlCl3 inhibited osteoblastic differentiation and Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Moreover, we found exogenous Wnt3a application reversed the inhibitory effect of AlCl3 on osteoblastic differentiation, accompanied by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Taken together, these findings suggest that AlCl3 inhibites osteoblastic differentiation through inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in osteoblasts.