Orexin-A (OXA) and orexin-B (OXB) are polypeptides derived from the same 130 amino acid long precursor (prepro-orexin) that bind and activate two closely related orphan G protein-coupled receptors OX1-R and OX2-R. These hypothalamic neuropeptides stimulate food intake and energy expenditure and play a significant role in sleep-wakefulness regulation. Present studies aimed to investigate the effects of orexins on proliferative activity and osteocalcin secretion by cultured rat calvarial osteoblast-like (ROB) cells. Conventional RT-PCR methods detected expression of the OX1-R gene in freshly isolated ROB cells and cells cultured for 7, 14 and 21 days. In contrast, at all time points tested, expression of prepro-OX or OX2-R genes was not demonstrated. QPCR revealed the highest expression of OX1-R gene in freshly isolated bone cells and a notably lower one in cultured ROB cells. Exposure of cultured cells to both OXA and OXB stimulated expression of the OX1-R gene. However, this effect was seen at the lowest tested concentration (1x10−10 M). Exposure of cultured ROB cells to OXA for 48 h did not change osteocalcin concentrations in media analyzed at days 7, 14 and 21 of culture. On the contrary, OXB notably stimulated osteocalcin concentrations in media taken at days 14 and 21 of culture. In contrast, OXA exerted a notable inhibitory effect on the proliferative activity of ROB cells at day 7 of culture, while OXB exerted a similar effect at day 14. Thus, the obtained results suggest that: (i)(ROB) cells are provided with functional OX1-R gene; (ii) in ROB cells expression of this gene seems to be up-regulated by low concentrations of both OXA and OXB; (iii) OXB exerts inhibitory effects on proliferative activity and stimulating effects on osteocalcin secretion by cultured ROB cells; (iv) rat calvarial osteoblasts provided with OX receptor may be a target for circulating orexins. Thus, orexins may be included in the expanding group of neuropeptides involved in the physiological regulation of the major bone cell types.

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