title: MKK6-p38 MAPK signaling pathway enhances survival but not bone-resorbing activity of osteoclasts.
abstract: Phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activating kinase (MAPK) is observed in osteoclasts under in vivo inflammatory situations. However, the role of p38 MAPK in osteoclast function has not been elucidated, because all external stimuli tested hitherto failed to induce the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in osteoclasts in culture. In this study, a constitutively active form of MKK6 (MKK6CA) was expressed in osteoclasts using adenoviral gene transfer in vitro. MKK6CA expressed in osteoclasts phosphorylated p38 MAPK and enhanced the survival of osteoclasts. Dentine-resorbing activity of osteoclasts was not enhanced by the MKK6CA expression. These results suggest that p38 MAPK signaling plays a critical role in the survival of osteoclasts in inflammatory diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hard Tissue Research, Institute for Oral Science, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara-Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Teruhito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mizoguchi
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamaki
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Sakae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Udagawa
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D048669:MAP Kinase Kinase 6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D051379:Mice; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048669:MAP Kinase Kinase 6; C482567:Map2k6 protein, mouse