Osteoprotegerin regulates bone formation through a coupling mechanism with bone resorption

Endocrinology. 2003 Dec;144(12):5441-9. doi: 10.1210/en.2003-0717. Epub 2003 Sep 18.

Abstract

Deficiency of osteoprotegerin (OPG), a soluble decoy receptor for receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL), in mice induces osteoporosis caused by enhanced bone resorption, but also accelerates bone formation. We examined whether bone formation is coupled with bone resorption in OPG-deficient (OPG-/-) mice using risedronate, an inhibitor of bone resorption. Histomorphometric analysis showed that bone formation-related parameters (e.g. mineral apposition rate and osteoblast surface/bone surface) in OPG-/- mice sharply decreased with suppression of bone resorption by daily injection of risedronate for 30 d. OPG-/- mice exhibited high serum alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin concentration, both of which were decreased to the levels in wild-type mice by the risedronate injection. Serum levels of RANKL were markedly elevated in OPG-/- mice, but were unaffected by risedronate. The ectopic bone formation induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2 implantation into OPG-/- mice was not accelerated even with a high turnover rate of bone, but attenuation of mineral density from the ectopic bone was more pronounced than that in wild-type mice. These results suggest that bone formation is coupled with bone resorption at local sites in OPG-/- mice, and that serum RANKL levels do not reflect this coupling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / pharmacology
  • Bone Resorption / drug therapy
  • Bone Resorption / pathology
  • Bone Resorption / physiopathology*
  • Bone and Bones / cytology
  • Bone and Bones / drug effects
  • Bone and Bones / metabolism
  • Calcium / blood
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Carrier Proteins / blood
  • Etidronic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Etidronic Acid / pharmacology
  • Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / blood
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Osteocalcin / blood
  • Osteogenesis / physiology*
  • Osteoprotegerin
  • Phosphorus / blood
  • RANK Ligand
  • Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / genetics*
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Risedronic Acid
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta*

Substances

  • Bmp2 protein, mouse
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Glycoproteins
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Osteoprotegerin
  • RANK Ligand
  • Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
  • Tnfrsf11a protein, mouse
  • Tnfrsf11b protein, mouse
  • Tnfsf11 protein, mouse
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta
  • Osteocalcin
  • Phosphorus
  • Risedronic Acid
  • Etidronic Acid
  • Calcium