Kindlin-3 Mutation in Mesenchymal Stem Cells Results in Enhanced Chondrogenesis

ABSTRACT Identifying patient mutations driving skeletal development disorders has driven our understanding of bone development. Integrin adhesion deficiency disease is caused by a Kindlin-3 (fermitin family member 3) mutation and its inactivation results in bleeding disorders and osteopenia. In this study, we uncover a role for Kindlin-3 in the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) down the chondrogenic lineage. Kindlin-3 expression increased with chondrogenic differentiation similar to RUNX2. BMSCs isolated from a Kindlin-3 deficient patient expressed chondrocyte markers including SOX9 under basal conditions, which were further enhanced with chondrogenic differentiation. Rescue of integrin activation by a constitutively activated β 3 integrin construct increased adhesion to multiple extracellular matrices and reduced SOX9 expression to basal levels. Growth plates from mice expressing a mutated Kindlin-3 with the integrin binding site ablated demonstrated alterations in chondrocyte maturation similar to that seen with the human Kindlin-3 deficient BMSCs. These findings suggest that Kindlin-3 expression mirrors RUNX2 during chondrogenesis. SUMMARY This study by Kerr et al. describes a new role for Kindlin-3 in controlling early chondrocyte differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells and later hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes.