Figure 4.

Sclerostin (SOST) expression depends on the presence of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). The GR was overexpressed in human mesenchymal stromal cells (HMSCs) using pCMX-HA-hGRalpha and then left untreated or treated with dexamethasone (DEX; 0.1 and 1 µM) for 48 h. The GR was knocked-down in HMSCs using siRNA and then left untreated or treated with DEX (0.1 µM) for 48 h. SOST (B, D) and NR3C1 (GR; A, C) gene expression levels were determined using qPCR. n = 4; *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001 vs CO; ^##P < 0.01 vs siCO.