Enhanced accumulation of adipocytes in bone marrow stromal cells in the presence of increased extracellular and intracellular [Ca2+]

Highlights: ► High [Ca2+]o enhances adipocyte accumulation in the presence of adipogenic inducers. ► High [Ca2+]o enhances both proliferation and adipocyte differentiation in BMSCs. ► High [Ca2+]o induces an increase in [Ca2+]o in BMSCs. ► An intracellular Ca2+ chelator suppresses the enhancement in adipocyte accumulation. ► Controlling [Ca2+]o may govern the balance of adipocyte and osteoblast development. -- Abstract: The bone marrow stroma contains osteoblasts and adipocytes that have a common precursor: the pluripotent mesenchymal stem cell found in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Local bone marrow Ca2+ levels can reach high concentrations due to bone resorption, which is one of the notable features of the bone marrow stroma. Here, we describe the effects of high [Ca2+]o on the accumulation of adipocytes in the bone marrow stroma. Using primary mouse BMSCs, we evaluated the level of adipocyte accumulation by measuring Oil Red O staining and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity. High [Ca2+]o enhanced the accumulation of adipocytes following treatment with both insulin and dexamethasone together but not in the absence of this treatment. This enhanced accumulation was the result of both the accelerated proliferation of BMSCs and their differentiation into adipocytes. Using the fura-2 method, we also showed that high [Ca2+]o induces an increase in [Ca2+]i. An intracellular Ca2+ chelator suppressed the enhancement in adipocyte accumulation due to increased [Ca2+]o in BMSCs. These data suggest a new role for extracellular Ca2+ in the bone marrow stroma: increased [Ca2+]o induces an increase in [Ca2+]i levels, which in turn enhances the accumulation of adipocytes under certain conditions.