Toshio Kukita

RANKL-induced DC-STAMP is essential for osteoclastogenesis.

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing, multinucleated giant cells that are essential for bone remodeling and are formed through cell fusion of mononuclear precursor cells. Although receptor activator of nuclear factor–κB ligand (RANKL) has been demonstrated to be an important osteoclastogenic cytokine, the cell surface molecules involved in osteoclastogenesis are mostly unknown. Here, we report that the seven-transmembrane receptor-like molecule, dendritic cell–specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) is involved in osteoclastogenesis. Expression of DC-STAMP is rapidly induced in osteoclast precursor cells by RANKL and other osteoclastogenic stimulations. Targeted inhibition of DC-STAMP by small interfering RNAs and specific antibody markedly suppressed the formation of multinucleated osteoclast-like cells. Overexpression of DC-STAMP enhanced osteoclastogenesis in the presence of RANKL. Furthermore, DC-STAMP directly induced the expression of the osteoclast marker tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase. These data demonstrate for the first time that DC-STAMP has an essential role in osteoclastogenesis.

Tumor necrosis factor-α cooperates with receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand in generation of osteoclasts in stromal cell-depleted rat bone marrow cell culture

Abstract A member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL; also known as ODF, OPGL, and TRANCE), plays critical roles in osteoclast differentiation and activation in the presence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). Recently, TNF-α has also been shown to induce the formation of multinucleated osteoclast-like cells (MNCs) in the presence of M-CSF from mouse macrophages. We demonstrated that mononuclear preosteoclast-like cells (POCs) were formed in the presence of conditioned medium of osteoblastic cells in a rat bone marrow culture depleted of stromal cells. Using this culture system, in this study we examined whether TNF-α affects differentiation into POCs from hematopoietic progenitor cells. Human TNF-α (hTNF-α) markedly stimulated the formation of POCs. Moreover, a concentration as low as 0.005 ng/mL of hTNF-α increased the level of mRNA for calcitonin receptor (CTR) and cathepsin-K of POCs. The POCs induced by hTNF-α formed MNCs, which showed dentine-resorbing activity after coculture with primary osteoblasts. Stimulation was observed after 24 h of treatment with hTNF-α only on day 1 or day 2 of the culture. After 24 h of hTNF-α treatment, expression of the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK) mRNA was markedly increased. The addition of soluble RANKL (sRANKL) to the preformed POCs efficiently induced MNCs. Interestingly, treatment of bone marrow cells with hTNF-α and sRANKL synergistically augmented the formation of MNCs. This formation was abolished by the addition of human osteoprotegerin (hOPG). These results suggest that cooperation of TNF-α and RANKL is important for osteoclastogenesis.

Inhibition of histone deacetylase suppresses osteoclastogenesis and bone destruction by inducing IFN-β production

Osteoclasts are bone-resorptive multinucleated cells that are differentiated from hemopoietic cell lineages of monocyte/macrophages in the presence of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and M-CSF. Downstream signaling molecules of the receptor of RANKL, RANK, modulate the differentiation and the activation of osteoclasts. We recently found that histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs), known as anticancer agents, selectively suppressed osteoclastogenesis in vitro. However, the molecular mechanism underlying inhibitory action of HDIs in osteoclastogenesis and the effect of HDIs on pathological bone destruction are still not remained to be elucidated. In this study, we show that a depsipeptide, FR901228, inhibited osteoclast differentiation by not only suppressing RANKL-induced nuclear translocation of NFATc1 but also increasing the mRNA level of IFN-β, an inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis. The inhibition of osteoclast formation by FR901228 was abrogated by the addition of IFN-β-neutralizing Ab. In addition, treatment of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats revealed that FR901228 inhibited not only disease development in a prophylactic model but also bone destruction in a therapeutic model. Furthermore, immunostaining of the joints of therapeutically treated rats revealed significant production of IFN-β in synovial cells. Taken together, these data suggest that a HDI inhibits osteoclastogenesis and bone destruction by a novel action to induce the expression of osteoclast inhibitory protein, IFN-β.

Adiponectin inhibits induction of TNF-α/RANKL-stimulated NFATc1 via the AMPK signaling

We investigated here whether adiponectin can exhibit an inhibitory effect on tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α)‐ and receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL)‐induced osteoclastogenesis by using RAW264 cell D clone with a high efficiency to form osteoclasts. Globular adiponectin (gAd) strongly inhibited TNF‐α/RANKL‐induced differentiation of osteoclasts by interfering with TNF receptor‐associated factor 6 production and calcium signaling; consequently, the induction of nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) was strongly inhibited. Moreover, we observed that inhibition of AMP‐activated protein kinase abrogated gAd inhibition for TNF‐α/RANKL‐induced NFATc1 expression. Our data suggest that adiponectin acts as a potent regulator of bone resorption observed in diseases associated with cytokine activation.

Osteoclast-like cells form in long-term human bone marrow but not in peripheral blood cultures.

Transplantation studies have suggested that peripheral blood mononuclear cells contain precursors for osteoclasts. Thus we tested the capacity of peripheral blood monocytes to form osteoclasts in long-term culture. We have reported previously that mononuclear cells from feline, baboon, and human marrow form osteoclast-like cells in long term cultures. Further, the formation of these cells is increased in response to bone resorption stimulatory agents such as PTH, interleukin 1, and transforming growth factor alpha. We now report that these cells show characteristic cytoplasmic contraction with calcitonin and form resorption lacunae when cultured on sperm whale dentine. Thus, these bone marrow-derived multinucleated cells fulfill the functional criteria for osteoclasts. Although cultured peripheral blood monocytes can be induced to form multinucleated cells with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, these cells did not show similar responses to the osteotropic factors as multinucleated cells formed in the bone marrow cultures multinucleated cells. These results indicate that osteoclasts or cells closely related to osteoclasts form in long-term human bone marrow cultures. In contrast, few mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood appear capable of forming osteoclasts under the culture conditions used in these experiments.

Molecules interacting with PRIP-2, a novel Ins(1,4,5)P3 binding protein type 2: Comparison with PRIP-1

A family of phospholipase C-related, catalytically inactive proteins (designated PRIP) have been identified as a group of novel inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins with a domain organization similar to phospholipase C-delta but lacking the enzymatic activity. The PRIP family consists of at least two types of proteins (PRIP-1 and PRIP-2 subfamilies). In the present study, we examined the tissue distribution of PRIP-2, its expression in rat brain at the mRNA level, and the characteristics of its binding to inositol compounds, protein phosphatase 1, and gamma-amino butyric acid receptor associated protein. We also compared these characteristics with those of PRIP-1. Northern blot analysis and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction showed that PRIP-1 was present mainly in the brain, whereas PRIP-2 was expressed ubiquitously. In situ hybridization studies using rat brain revealed that the mRNA for both PRIP-1 and PRIP-2 was similarly expressed; it was detected in the granular cell and Purkinje cell layers in the cerebellum, and in the hippocampal pyramidal cells, dentate granule cells, and pyramidal and/or granule cells of the cerebral cortex in the cerebrum. PRIP-2 bound inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and its parent lipid, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, with a similar affinity, while PRIP-1 preferentially bound the former ligand by about 10-fold. PRIP-1 and PRIP-2 interacted with protein phosphatase 1 and gamma-amino butyric acid receptor associated protein in a similar manner. These results indicate that, similar to PRIP-1, PRIP-2 may be involved in both inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-mediated and gamma-amino butyric acid-related signaling.

Cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of exfoliated deciduous teeth is a feasible stem cell resource for regenerative medicine.

Human exfoliated deciduous teeth have been considered to be a promising source for regenerative therapy because they contain unique postnatal stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) with self-renewal capacity, multipotency and immunomodulatory function. However preservation technique of deciduous teeth has not been developed. This study aimed to evaluate that cryopreserved dental pulp tissues of human exfoliated deciduous teeth is a retrievable and practical SHED source for cell-based therapy. SHED isolated from the cryopreserved deciduous pulp tissues for over 2 years (25–30 months) (SHED-Cryo) owned similar stem cell properties including clonogenicity, self-renew, stem cell marker expression, multipotency, in vivo tissue regenerative capacity and in vitro immunomodulatory function to SHED isolated from the fresh tissues (SHED-Fresh). To examine the therapeutic efficacy of SHED-Cryo on immune diseases, SHED-Cryo were intravenously transplanted into systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) model MRL/lpr mice. Systemic SHED-Cryo-transplantation improved SLE-like disorders including short lifespan, elevated autoantibody levels and nephritis-like renal dysfunction. SHED-Cryo amended increased interleukin 17-secreting helper T cells in MRL/lpr mice systemically and locally. SHED-Cryo-transplantation was also able to recover osteoporosis bone reduction in long bones of MRL/lpr mice. Furthermore, SHED-Cryo-mediated tissue engineering induced bone regeneration in critical calvarial bone-defect sites of immunocompromised mice. The therapeutic efficacy of SHED-Cryo transplantation on immune and skeletal disorders was similar to that of SHED-Fresh. These data suggest that cryopreservation of dental pulp tissues of deciduous teeth provide a suitable and desirable approach for stem cell-based immune therapy and tissue engineering in regenerative medicine.

Fibroblasts from the inner granulation tissue of the pseudocapsule in hips at revision arthroplasty induce osteoclast differentiation, as do stromal cells

Background: It has previously been shown that many osteoclast precursors are included in the granulation tissue within the pseudocapsule obtained at revision arthroplasty from hips with osteolysis. In vitro culture of only cells isolated from the granulation tissue has been previously shown to generate many mature osteoclasts. Objective: To investigate the presence or otherwise of supporting cells, similar to stromal cells, which differentiate osteoclasts within the granulation tissue. Methods: Cells isolated from the granulation tissue were cultured alone, and after four weeks fibroblast-like cells (granulation fibroblasts) remained. Rat non-adherent bone marrow cells (NA-BMCs) were co-cultured with the granulation fibroblasts with or without 1α,25(OH)2D3 (10−8 M) or heat treated ROS 17/2.8 cell conditioned medium (ht ROSCM), or both. Multinucleated cells (MNCs), which formed, were assessed by biochemical and functional characterisation of osteoclasts. Receptor activator of NFκB ligand (RANKL) was investigated by immunohistochemistry. Results: Co-culture of NA-BMCs and granulation fibroblasts caused the formation of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive MNCs, which had the calcitonin receptor (CTR), the Kat-1 antigen, which is specific to the surface of rat osteoclasts, and the ability to form pits in the presence of both 1α,25(OH)2D3 and ht ROSCM or in the presence of just ht ROSCM. RANKL was detected in fibroblast-like cells in the granulation tissue. Conclusion: These data suggest that granulation fibroblasts support osteoclast differentiation, as do osteoblasts/stromal cells, and may play a part in aseptic loosening.

Expression of the type I collagen gene in rat periodontal ligament during tooth movement as revealed by in situ hybridization

The in situ hybridization technique used digoxigenin-labelled oligodeoxynucleotide. In untreated molars, cells expressing a positive signal for type I collagen mRNA were distributed uniformly in the periodontal ligament space. After experimental tooth movement, the density of cells expressing a positive signal appeared to be much greater in the tension side than the pressure side. In both sides the distribution of the positively hybridizing cells was uniform along the principal fibres of the ligament. This characteristic distribution appeared at 12 h after the initiation of tooth movement, reached a maximum at 1-3 days, and persisted for about 14 days during the treatment. These results indicate that the remodelling of collagen fibres in periodontal ligament occurs in an orderly manner throughout the principal fibres, mainly on the tension side, and that the recovery of gene expression for type I collagen occurs within the first 14 days in response to experimental tooth movement.

Trypsinized osteoclast-like multinucleated cells formed in rat bone marrow cultures efficiently form resorption lacunae on dentine

Rat bone marrow cultures containing 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1 alpha,25(OH)2D3] formed multinucleated cells (MNCs) that had many characteristics of osteoclasts. These MNCs, which have a tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity, could be classified into two morphological types: one type had smooth cellular margins (smooth-margined MNCs) and the other type had irregular spike-like margins (stellate MNCs). When bone marrow cells depleted of authentic osteoclasts were seeded and cultured on dentine slices, only low numbers of resorption lacunae could be detected. However, when preformed MNCs were detached by trypsinization and replated on dentine slices, numerous resorption lacunae were observed by scanning electron microscopy on these slices. Formation of lacunae occurred reproducibly during the five to ten days of culture. We also examined the effect of retinoic acid on TRAP-positive MNC formation in this bone marrow culture system. Although RA inhibited total TRAP-positive MNC formation, it increased the ratio of stellate MNCs to smooth-margined MNC, suggesting that RA may have the ability to regulate the formation of active osteoclasts.