Transcription factor 7-like 2 Regulates Glutathione peroxidase 4 to
Resist Ferroptosis and Enhance Osteogenesis in Mouse Mesenchymal Stem
Cells
Abstract
Bone defects are common surgical complications, and stem cell and gene
therapies are key strategies for bone repair and regeneration.
Transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) is a key regulator of the Wnt
signaling pathway, with potential applications in gene editing. However,
the role of TCF7L2 in the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow
mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) remains poorly understood. We knocked
down or overexpressed TCF7L2 to evaluate its effect on erastin-induced
ferroptosis in BMSCs. Simultaneously, we assessed the impact of TCF7L2
overexpression on the osteogenic capacity of BMSCs. To confirm the
involvement of Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), we conducted rescue
experiments by knocking down GPX4 expression. A mouse cranial defect
model was established to analyze the effect of TCF7L2 overexpression on
cranial bone healing. The results showed that TCF7L2 knockdown promoted,
while TCF7L2 overexpression inhibited, erastin-induced ferroptosis in
BMSCs. Mechanistic studies revealed that TCF7L2 knockdown reduced, while
TCF7L2 overexpression enhanced GPX4 expression, thereby regulating
ferroptosis. Conversely, GPX4 knockdown significantly attenuated the
regulatory effects of TCF7L2 overexpression on cell proliferation and
ferroptosis inhibition. Furthermore, TCF7L2 overexpression promoted cell
proliferation, osteogenic differentiation, and mineralization in vitro,
while enhancing cranial defect healing in vivo. This study is the first
to reveal the dual role of TCF7L2: regulating ferroptosis in BMSCs via
GPX4, while promoting BMSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation.
These findings provide novel molecular targets and theoretical
foundations for the treatment of bone defects.