17β-estradiol activates mTOR in chondrocytes by AKT-dependent and AKT-independent signaling pathways.

To confirm whether 17β-estradiol (E2) activates mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in chondrocytes and in what way activates mTOR. Human immortalized chondrocytes cell lines TC28a2 and C28/I2 were subjected to incubate with or without E2, LY294002 (the inhibitor of PI3K), rapamycin (the inhibitor of mTOR), or E2 in combination with LY294002 or rapamycin. Thereafter, protein levels of S6K1, p-S6K1, protein kinase B (AKT), and p-AKT were determined by Western blot analysis. Matrix metallopeptidase (MMP) 3 or MMP13 mRNA levels were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis were performed to verify the interaction between ERα and mTOR. Both p-S6K1 and p-AKT protein levels in TC28a2 and C28/I2E2 cells were significantly increased by incubation with E2 (0.5 h and 1 h) (P < 0.05). Rapamycin did not affect the levels of p-AKT, but were significantly reduced by LY294002 or E2 in combination with LY294002. The levels of p-S6K1 were significantly decreased by incubation with LY294002, but the effect could be reversed by E2 in combination with LY294002. Rabbit anti-mTOR antibody was able to immunoprecipitate ERα after incubation with E2. Moreover, E2 inhibited the mRNA levels of MMP3 and MMP13 by mTOR pathway. E2 actives mTOR in chondrocytes through AKT-dependent and independent ways.