Osteoclasts are derived from myeloid lineage cells, and their differentiation is supported by various osteotropic factors, including the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family member TNF-related activation-induced cytokine (TRANCE). Genetic deletion of TRANCE or its receptor, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK), results in severely osteopetrotic mice with no osteoclasts in their bones. TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 6 is a key signaling adaptor for RANK, and its deficiency leads to similar osteopetrosis. Hence, the current paradigm holds that TRANCE–RANK interaction and subsequent signaling via TRAF6 are essential for the generation of functional osteoclasts. Surprisingly, we show that hematopoietic precursors from TRANCE-, RANK-, or TRAF6-null mice can become osteoclasts in vitro when they are stimulated with TNF-α in the presence of cofactors such as TGF-β. We provide direct evidence against the current paradigm that the TRANCE–RANK–TRAF6 pathway is essential for osteoclast differentiation and suggest the potential existence of alternative routes for osteoclast differentiation.

We examined OVX-induced bone loss in three TLD mouse models. In TLD mice, OVX caused trabecular bone loss equivalent to that of WT. In contrast, cortical bone loss with OVX was variable. We conclude that T lymphocytes do not influence OVX-induced trabecular bone loss. Introduction:We examined ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss in three T lymphocyte-deficient (TLD) mouse models: nude mice, recombination activating gene 2-deficient (RAG2 KO) mice, and ⌻ cell receptor ␣ chain-deficient (TCR␣ KO) mice. Materials and Methods: Bone mass was examined by DXA, CT, and histomorphometry. We also examined the effect of OVX on T lymphocytes in the bone marrow and spleens of wildtype (WT) mice and on in vitro osteoclastogenesis and colony forming unit-granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) activity in the bone marrow of WT and nude mice. Results: In WT mice, OVX did not alter T lymphocyte number in the bone marrow but did increase T lymphocytes in the spleen. Comparison of bone mass in nude, RAG2 KO, and TCR␣ KO mice with WT as measured by DXA showed decreased femoral bone mass in nude mice and increased vertebral bone mass in RAG2 KO mice. In TCR␣ KO mice, femoral, tibial, and vertebral bone mass were decreased. In vertebrae and long bones, bone loss with OVX was consistently present in WT mice but variably present in TLD mice as measured by DXA. In contrast, CT and histomorphometry showed similar trabecular bone loss after OVX in all mice. However, femoral cortical bone loss occurred only in WT and RAG2 KO mice. OVX produced similar trabecular bone loss in WT and TCR␣ ⌲⌷ mice and also induced cortical bone loss in both. Histomorphometry showed that TRACP + area in bones was increased by OVX in femurs from both WT and nude mice as was in vitro osteoclast-like cell formation and CFU-GM activity. Conclusions: These results show that OVX caused similar trabecular bone loss in both WT and TLD mice. The ability of DXA and measurement of cortical bone loss to show OVX-induced effects on bone mass was variable. It seems that T lymphocytes are not critical for OVX-induced trabecular bone loss in these mouse models.

TRANCE/TRAF6 signalling governs osteoclastogenesis in vivo.Only the TRANCE receptor (TRANCE-R) has been shown to induce osteoclastogenesis, even though other immune receptors, including CD40 and IL-1R/Toll-like receptor, use TRAF6 to activate overlapping signalling cascades. These observations led us to question whether qualitative or quantitative differences exist between the TRAF6-mediated signals induced by TRANCE and by other ligand-receptor pairs. Here we show that stimulation by overexpressed wild-type CD40 can induce osteoclastogenesis. Stimulation through modified CD40 containing increased numbers of TRAF6-binding sites in the cytoplasmic tails showed a dosedependent increase in the activation of p38 kinase and more pronounced osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, precursors overexpressing TRAF6 differentiate into osteoclasts in the absence of additional signals from TRANCE. Our results suggest that differences in the osteoclastogenesis-inducing capacity of TRANCE-R versus other TRAF6-associated receptors may in part stem from a quantitative difference in the TRAF6-mediated signals.