title: RANKL-RANK signaling in osteoclastogenesis and bone disease.
abstract: Hundreds of millions of people worldwide are affected by bone-related diseases, such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of bone metabolism is crucial for developing novel drugs for treating such diseases. In particular, genetic experiments showing that the receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANK), its ligand RANKL, and the decoy receptor OPG are essential, central regulators of osteoclast development and osteoclast function were significant turning points in our understanding of bone diseases. RANKL-RANK signaling activates a variety of downstream signaling pathways required for osteoclast development. Moreover, molecular cross-talk between RANKL-RANK and other ligand-receptor systems fine-tunes bone homeostasis in normal physiology and disease. Designing novel drugs that target RANKL-RANK and their signaling pathways in osteoclasts could potentially revolutionize the treatment of many diseases associated with bone loss such as arthritis, tooth loss, cancer metastases or osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Dr. Bohrgasse 3, A-1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Teiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Tomoki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Nishina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hiroshi
authors.forename: Josef M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Penninger
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols / Q000378:metabolism; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D010716:Phosphatidylinositols; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D019061:src-Family Kinases