RANKL stimulates inducible nitric-oxide synthase expression and nitric oxide production in developing osteoclasts. An autocrine negative feedback mechanism triggered by RANKL-induced interferon-beta via NF-kappaB that restrains osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a multifunctional signaling molecule and a key vasculoprotective and potential osteoprotective factor. NO regulates normal bone remodeling and pathological bone loss in part through affecting the recruitment, formation, and activity of bone-resorbing osteoclasts. Using murine RAW 264.7 and primary bone marrow cells or osteoclasts formed from them by receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) differentiation, we found that inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and NO generation were stimulated by interferon (IFN)-gamma or lipopolysaccharide, but not by interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Surprisingly, iNOS expression and NO release were also triggered by RANKL. This response was time- and dose-dependent, required NF-kappaB activation and new protein synthesis, and was specifically blocked by the RANKL decoy receptor osteoprotegerin. Preventing RANKL-induced NO (via iNOS-selective inhibition or use of marrow cells from iNOS-/- mice) increased osteoclast formation and bone pit resorption, indicating that such NO normally restrains RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis. Additional studies suggested that RANKL-induced NO inhibition of osteoclast formation does not occur via NO activation of a cGMP pathway. Because IFN-beta is also a RANKL-induced autocrine negative feedback inhibitor that limits osteoclastogenesis, we investigated whether IFN-beta is involved in this novel RANKL/iNOS/NO autoregulatory pathway. IFN-beta was induced by RANKL and stimulated iNOS expression and NO release, and a neutralizing antibody to IFN-beta inhibited iNOS/NO elevation in response to RANKL, thereby enhancing osteoclast formation. Thus, RANKL-induced IFN-beta triggers iNOS/NO as an important negative feedback signal during osteoclastogenesis. Specifically targeting this novel autoregulatory pathway may provide new therapeutic approaches to combat various osteolytic bone diseases.
Zheng
Hong
H
Department of Biology and the Division of Bone and Mineral Metabolism, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
Yu
Xuefeng
X
Collin-Osdoby
Patricia
P
Osdoby
Philip
P
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001862:Bone Resorption; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D017931:DNA Primers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D053245:RANK Ligand; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; C505687:Tnfrsf11a protein, mouse; C505689:Tnfsf11 protein, mouse; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016899:Interferon-beta; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II