title: Role of osteocytes in multiple myeloma bone disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the increased knowledge of osteocyte biology, the contribution of this most abundant bone cell to the development and progression of multiple myeloma in bone is practically unexplored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple myeloma bone disease is characterized by exacerbated bone resorption and the presence of osteolytic lesions that do not heal because of a concomitant reduction in bone formation. Osteocytes produce molecules that regulate both bone formation and resorption. Recent findings suggest that the life span of osteocytes is compromised in multiple myeloma patients with bone lesions. In addition, multiple myeloma cells affect the transcriptional profile of osteocytes by upregulating the production of pro-osteoclastogenic cytokines, stimulating osteoclast formation and activity. Further, patients with active multiple myeloma have elevated circulating levels of sclerostin, a potent inhibitor of bone formation which is specifically expressed by osteocytes in bone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Understanding the contribution of osteocytes to the mechanisms underlying the skeletal consequences of multiple myeloma bone disease has the potential to provide important new therapeutic strategies that specifically target multiple myeloma-osteocyte interactions.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Anatomy and Cell Biology bDivision of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine cDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine dRoudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Jesus
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Delgado-Calle
authors.forename: Teresita
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bellido
authors.forename: G David
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Roodman
mesh_terms: D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000502:physiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D010011:Osteocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053245:RANK Ligand; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human