Bone resorption is regulated by the immune system, where T-cell expression of RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB ligand), a member of the tumour-necrosis factor family that is essential for osteoclastogenesis, may contribute to pathological conditions, such as autoimmune arthritis. However, whether activated T cells maintain bone homeostasis by counterbalancing the action of RANKL remains unknown. Here we show that T-cell production of interferon (IFN)-gamma strongly suppresses osteoclastogenesis by interfering with the RANKL-RANK signalling pathway. IFN-gamma induces rapid degradation of the RANK adapter protein, TRAF6 (tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6), which results in strong inhibition of the RANKL-induced activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB and JNK. This inhibition of osteoclastogenesis is rescued by overexpressing TRAF6 in precursor cells, which indicates that TRAF6 is the target critical for the IFN-gamma action. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the accelerated degradation of TRAF6 requires both its ubiquitination, which is initiated by RANKL, and IFN-gamma-induced activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Our study shows that there is cross-talk between the tumour necrosis factor and IFN families of cytokines, through which IFN-gamma provides a negative link between T-cell activation and bone resorption. Our results may offer a therapeutic approach to treat the inflammation-induced tissue breakdown.

Osteoclasts are cells of monocyte/macrophage origin that erode bone matrix: regulation of their differentiation is central to the understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Signalling by RANKL (receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand), also known as Tnfsf11, is essential for the induction of osteoclast differentiation, and it must be strictly regulated to maintain bone homeostasis. But it is not known whether RANKL signalling to the cell interior is linked to any regulatory mechanisms. Here we show that RANKL induces the interferon-beta (IFN-beta) gene in osteoclast precursor cells, and that IFN-beta inhibits the differentiation by interfering with the RANKL-induced expression of c-Fos, an essential transcription factor for the formation of osteoclasts. This IFN-beta gene induction mechanism is distinct from that induced by virus, and is dependent on c-Fos itself. Thus an autoregulatory mechanism operates-the RANKL-induced c-Fos induces its own inhibitor. The importance of this regulatory mechanism for bone homeostasis is emphasized by the observation that mice deficient in IFN-beta signalling exhibit severe osteopenia (loss of bone mass) accompanied by enhanced osteoclastogenesis. Our study places the IFN-beta system in a new context, and may offer a molecular basis for the treatment of bone diseases.

RANKL/ODF expressed on synovial fibroblasts is involved in rheumatoid bone destruction by inducing osteoclastogenesis and would therefore be a good therapeutic target.

To examine the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathways on osteoclast survival and activation, we constructed adenovirus vectors carrying various mutants of signaling molecules: dominant negative Ras (RasDN), constitutively active MEK1 (MEKCA), dominant negative IκB kinase 2 (IKKDN), and constitutively active IKK2 (IKKCA). Inhibiting ERK activity by RasDN overexpression rapidly induced the apoptosis of osteoclast-like cells (OCLs) formed in vitro, whereas ERK activation after the introduction of MEKCA remarkably lengthened their survival by preventing spontaneous apoptosis. Neither inhibition nor activation of ERK affected the bone-resorbing activity of OCLs. Inhibition of NF-κB pathway with IKKDN virus suppressed the pit-forming activity of OCLs and NF-κB activation by IKKCA expression upregulated it without affecting their survival. Interleukin 1α (IL-1α) strongly induced ERK activation as well as NF-κB activation. RasDN virus partially inhibited ERK activation, and OCL survival promoted by IL-1α. Inhibiting NF-κB activation by IKKDN virus significantly suppressed the pit-forming activity enhanced by IL-1α. These results indicate that ERK and NF-κB regulate different aspects of osteoclast activation: ERK is responsible for osteoclast survival, whereas NF-κB regulates osteoclast activation for bone resorption.

Schwann cells are the myelinating glia of the peripheral nervous system, and their development is regulated by various growth factors, such as neuregulin, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). However, the mechanism of intracellular signaling pathways following these ligand stimuli in Schwann cell differentiation remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that in cultured Schwann cells, neuregulin and PDGF suppressed the expression of myelin-associated protein markers, whereas IGF-I promoted it. Although these ligands activated common downstream signaling pathways [i.e., extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt pathways], the profiles of activation varied among ligands. To elucidate the function of these pathways and the mechanisms underlying Schwann cell differentiation, we used adenoviral vectors to selectively activate or inactivate these pathways. We found that the selective activation of Erk pathways suppressed Schwann cell differentiation, whereas that of PI3K pathways promoted it.