Background: Recent studies have suggested osteocytes as key players in mechanosensation and skeletal metabolism. Results: Simulated microgravity induces an autonomous up-regulation of SOST/sclerostin and RANKL/OPG in a novel osteocytic cell line, Ocy454. Conclusion: Mechanical loading regulates intrinsic osteocyte responses in concert with hormonal and cytokine inputs. Significance: Learning how osteocytes sense mechanical loads would enable novel interventions to prevent disuse-induced bone loss.

Cells of the osteoblast lineage are increasingly identified as participants in whole-body metabolism by primarily targeting pancreatic insulin secretion or consuming energy. Osteocytes, the most abundant bone cells, secrete a Wnt-signaling inhibitor called sclerostin. Here we examined three mouse models expressing high sclerostin levels, achieved through constitutive or inducible loss of the stimulatory subunit of G-proteins (Gsα in mature osteoblasts and/or osteocytes). These mice showed progressive loss of white adipose tissue (WAT) with tendency toward increased energy expenditure but no changes in glucose or insulin metabolism. Interestingly beige adipocytes were increased extensively in both gonadal and inguinal WAT and had reduced canonical β-catenin signaling. To determine if sclerostin directly contributes to the increased beige adipogenesis, we engineered an osteocytic cell line lacking Gsα which has high sclerostin secretion. Conditioned media from these cells significantly increased expression of UCP1 in primary adipocytes, and this effect was partially reduced after depletion of sclerostin from the conditioned media. Similarly, treatment of Gsα-deficient animals with sclerostin-neutralizing antibody partially reduced the increased UCP1 expression in WAT. Moreover, direct treatment of sclerostin to wild-type mice significantly increased UCP1 expression in WAT. These results show that osteocytes and/or osteoblasts secrete factors regulating beige adipogenesis, at least in part, through the Wnt-signaling inhibitor sclerostin. Further studies are needed to assess metabolic effects of sclerostin on adipocytes and other metabolic tissues.

Sclerostin antibody (Scl-Ab) increases osteoblast activity, in part through increasing modeling-based bone formation on previously quiescent surfaces. Histomorphometric studies have suggested that this might occur through conversion of bone lining cells into active osteoblasts. However, direct data demonstrating Scl-Ab-induced conversion of lining cells into active osteoblasts is lacking. Here, we used in vivo lineage tracing to determine if Scl-Ab promotes the conversion of lining cells into osteoblasts on periosteal and endocortical bone surfaces in mice. Two independent, tamoxifen-inducible lineage tracing strategies were used to label mature osteoblasts and their progeny using the DMP1 and osteocalcin promoters. Following a prolonged ‘chase’ period, the majority of labeled cells on bone surfaces assumed a thin, quiescent morphology. Then, mice were treated with either vehicle or Scl-Ab (25 mg/kg) twice over the course of the subsequent week. After sacrifice, marked cells were enumerated, their thickness quantified, and proliferation and apoptosis examined. Scl-Ab led to a significant increase in the average thickness of labeled cells on periosteal and endocortical bone surfaces, consistent with osteoblast activation. Scl-Ab did not induce proliferation of labeled cells, and Scl-Ab did not regulate apoptosis of labeled cells. Therefore, direct reactivation of quiescent bone lining cells contributes to the acute increase in osteoblast numbers following Scl-Ab treatment in mice.

Summary The ratio of osteoprotegerin [OPG, tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 11b (TNFRSF11B)] to receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand [RANKL, tumour necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily, member 11 (TNFSF11)] in bone is critical for the regulation of bone remodelling. Myeloma cells can home to bone, triggering increased RANKL and decreased OPG expression by stromal cells, leading to osteolysis. Whether myeloma cells contribute directly to the pool of RANKL or OPG in bone has been contentious. Here we provide evidence of RANKL expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization, demonstrating transcripts encoding both the membrane‐bound and secreted forms of RANKL in five human multiple myeloma cell lines (LP‐1, NCI‐H929, OPM‐2, RPMI8226, U266) and myeloma cells purified from bone marrow aspirates of myeloma patients. We demonstrated that RANKL encoding mRNAs are translated to protein by antibody detection of RANKL. In vitro assays showed that myeloma cells induced bone marrow derived mononuclear cells to differentiate into adherent tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase positive multinucleated cells, indicative of the formation of functional osteoclasts. This differentiation could also be achieved with passaged myeloma media alone, implicating secreted products. Finally, we provide evidence that the differentiation observed is at least in part the result of myeloma cell expression of RANKL. We therefore conclude that myeloma cells can directly contribute to the pool of RANKL in bone.

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The stimulatory subunit of G-protein, Gsα, acts as a secondary messenger of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that primarily activates cAMP-induced signaling. GPCRs, such as the parathyroid receptor (PTHR), are critical regulators of bone formation as shown by number of genetic manipulation studies targeting early osteoblast lineage cells. In this study, we have examined the role of Gsa in osteocytes, the terminally differentiated and most abundant cells of the osteoblast lineage. Mice lacking the stimulatory subunit of G-proteins (Gsα) in osteocytes (DMP1-GsαKO) have significant decrease of both trabecular and cortical bone, as assessed by μCT. Histomorphometric analysis showed that the osteopenia was mostly driven by more than 90% decrease in osteoblast numbers and activity whereas osteoclasts were only slightly decreased. The decrease in osteoblast number was associated with a striking lack of endocortical osteoblasts. We have previously shown that loss of the stimulatory subunit of G-proteins (Gsα) in osteocytes in vitro or in vivo has high expression of sclerostin. To determine if the increased sclerostin levels contributed to the decreased endosteal bone lining cells and osteopenia, we treated wild-type mice with recombinant sclerostin and the DMP1-GsαKO mice with anti-sclerostin antibody. Treatment of wild-type mice with 100mg/Kg sclerostin for 3-weeks significantly reduced the numbers of bone lining cells and led to osteopenia. Next, the DMP1-GsαKO and control littermates were treated with the anti-sclerostin antibody (25 mg/kg, 2 times per week) for 4-weeks. Upon the antibody treatment, the endocortical osteoblasts reappeared in the DMP1-GsαKO mice to a comparable level to that of the vehicle treated control littermates. In control mice, E11/gp38 positive osteocytes were observed in parallel with the endocortical osteoblasts with higher dendrite density towards the endocortical osteoblasts. In DMP1-GsαKO mice, E11/gp38 positive osteocytes were lacking dendrites and were randomly scattered throughout the bone matrix. After treatment with anti-sclerostin antibody, DMP1-GsαKO mice showed increased E11/gp38 positive osteocytes near the endosteal bone surface and endosteal osteoblasts. The anti-sclerostin antibody treatment proportionally increased the bone volume but it could not completely rescue the osteopenia in the DMP1-GsαKO mice. Taken together, this data suggests that Gsα signaling in osteocytes leads to osteopenia driven, at least in part, by increased secretion of sclerostin.

Bone loss is a major health concern for astronauts during long-term spaceflight and for patients during prolonged bed rest or paralysis. Growing evidence suggests that osteocytes, the most abundant cells in the mineralized bone matrix, play a key role in sensing mechanical forces applied to the skeleton and integrating the orchestrated response into subcellular biochemical signals to modulate bone homeostasis. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying both mechanosensation and mechanotransduction in late-osteoblast-to-osteocyte cells under microgravity (µG) have yet to be elucidated. To unravel the mechanisms by which late osteoblasts and osteocytes sense and respond to mechanical unloading, we exposed the osteocytic cell line, Ocy454, to 2, 4, or 6 days of µG on the SpaceX Dragon-6 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Our results showed that µG impairs the differentiation of osteocytes, consistent with prior osteoblast spaceflight experiments, which resulted in the downregulation of key osteocytic genes. Importantly, we demonstrate the modulation of critical glycolysis pathways in osteocytes subjected to microgravity and discovered a set of mechanical sensitive genes that are consistently regulated in multiple cell types exposed to microgravity suggesting a common, yet to be fully elucidated, genome-wide response to microgravity. Ground-based simulated microgravity 2 of 18 | UDA et Al.