BACKGROUND: Choline kinase has three isoforms encoded by the genes Chka and Chkb. Inactivation of Chka in mice results in embryonic lethality, whereas Chkb(-/-) mice display neonatal forelimb bone deformations.

METHODS: To understand the mechanisms underlying the bone deformations, we compared the biology and biochemistry of bone formation from embryonic to young adult wild-type (WT) and Chkb(-/-) mice.

RESULTS: The deformations are specific to the radius and ulna during the late embryonic stage. The radius and ulna of Chkb(-/-) mice display expanded hypertrophic zones, unorganized proliferative columns in their growth plates, and delayed formation of primary ossification centers. The differentiation of chondrocytes of Chkb(-/-) mice was impaired, as was chondrocyte proliferation and expression of matrix metalloproteinases 9 and 13. In chondrocytes from Chkb(-/-) mice, phosphatidylcholine was slightly lower than in WT mice whereas the amount of phosphocholine was decreased by approximately 75%. In addition, the radius and ulna from Chkb(-/-) mice contained fewer osteoclasts along the cartilage/bone interface.

CONCLUSIONS: Chkb has a critical role in the normal embryogenic formation of the radius and ulna in mice.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Our data indicate that choline kinase beta plays an important role in endochondral bone formation by modulating growth plate physiology.

Biochim Biophys Acta 2014 Mar 14; 1840(7):2112-2122.