title: OPG Treatment Prevents Bone Loss During Lactation But Does Not Affect Milk Production or Maternal Calcium Metabolism.
abstract: Lactation is associated with increased bone turnover and rapid bone loss, which liberates skeletal calcium used for milk production. Previous studies suggested that an increase in the skeletal expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells ligand (RANKL) coupled with a decrease in osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels likely triggered bone loss during lactation. In this study, we treated lactating mice with recombinant OPG to determine whether bone loss during lactation was dependent on RANKL signaling and whether resorption of the maternal skeleton was required to support milk production. OPG treatment lowered bone resorption rates and completely prevented bone loss during lactation but, surprisingly, did not decrease osteoclast numbers. In contrast, OPG was quite effective at lowering osteoblast numbers and inhibiting bone formation in lactating mice. Furthermore, treatment with OPG during lactation prevented the usual anabolic response associated with reversal of lactational bone loss after weaning. Preventing bone loss had no appreciable effect on milk production, milk calcium levels, or maternal calcium homeostasis when mice were on a standard diet. However, when dietary calcium was restricted, treatment with OPG caused maternal hypocalcemia, maternal death, and decreased milk production. These studies demonstrate that RANKL signaling is a requirement for bone loss during lactation, and suggest that osteoclast activity may be required to increase osteoblast numbers during lactation in preparation for the recovery of bone mass after weaning. These data also demonstrate that maternal bone loss is not absolutely required to supply calcium for milk production unless dietary calcium intake is inadequate.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: Laleh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ardeshirpour
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dumitru
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dann
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sterpka
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: Joshua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: VanHouten
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: Wonnam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kostenuik
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology (L.A.), Department of Pediatrics, and Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism (C.D., P.D., J.S., J.V., W.K., J.W.), Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520; and Department of Metabolic Disorders (P.K.), Amgen, Inc, Thousand Oaks, California 91320.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wysolmerski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008892:Milk / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009035:Mothers; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D002118:Calcium