No abstract

The effect of nitric oxide (NO) on osteoblastic differentiation was examined in cultured mouse osteoblasts. Interleukin-1beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha expressed inducible NO synthase gene with little effect on constitutive NO synthase gene. These cytokines increased NO production, which was inhibited by L-NMMA pretreatment, and decreased alkaline phosphatase (AIPase) activity, which was not restored by L-NMMA. Furthermore, NO donors, sodium nitroprusside and NONOate dose-dependently elevated AIPase activity and expression of osteocalcin gene. These results suggest that NO directly facilitates osteoblastic differentiation and the cytokine-induced inhibition of AIPase activity is mediated via mechanism other than NO.

p130Cas, Crk-associated substrate (Cas), is an adaptor/scaffold protein that plays a central role in actin cytoskeletal reorganization. We previously reported that p130Cas is not tyrosine-phosphorylated in osteoclasts derived from Src-deficient mice, which are congenitally osteopetrotic, suggesting that p130Cas serves as a downstream molecule of c-Src and is involved in osteoclastic bone resorption. However, the physiological role of p130Cas in osteoclasts has not yet been confirmed because the p130Cas-deficient mice displayed embryonic lethality. Osteoclast-specific p130Cas conditional knockout (p130Cas DOCL-) mice exhibit a high bone mass phenotype caused by defect in multinucleation and cytoskeleton organization causing bone resorption deficiency. Bone marrow cells from p130Cas DOCL-mice were able to differentiate into osteoclasts and wild-type cells in vitro. However, osteoclasts from p130Cas DOCL-mice failed to form actin rings and resorb pits on dentine slices. Although the initial events of osteoclast attachment, such as b3-integrin or Src phosphorylation, were intact, the Rac1 activity that organizes the actin cytoskeleton was reduced, and its distribution was disrupted in p130Cas DOCL-osteoclasts. Dedicator of cytokinesis 5 (Dock5), a Rho family guanine nucleotide exchanger, failed to associate with Src or Pyk2 in osteoclasts in the absence of p130Cas. These results strongly indicate that p130Cas plays pivotal roles in osteoclastic bone resorption.

Macrophages, critical modulators of the immune response, polarize into various phenotypes, including M1 and M2. M1 macrophages are typically activated by lipopolysaccharide and produce proinflammatory cytokines. Conversely, M2 macrophages are activated by stimulation with interleukin 4 (IL)−4 and promote tissue remodeling and anti-inflammatory reactions. Recently, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been shown to play important roles in the regulation of inflammation. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a PUFA, has antiinflammatory effects on chronic inflammatory disease, but its role in macrophage polarization remains unclear. In this study, we clarified the effects of DHA on macrophage polarization using U937 cells. Treatment with DHA resulted in upregulation of M2 macrophage markers and increased secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines by U937 cells. IL-4, but not DHA, triggered phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6). DHA enhanced the expression of krüppel-like factor-4 (KLF4), a transcription factor involved in the regulation of macrophage polarization and increased the phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). A selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK downregulated the expression of CD206 in DHA-treated U937 cells. Moreover, inhibitors of autophagy suppressed the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and the expression of CD206 in DHA-treated U937 cells.Expression of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II, which is involved in autophagosome formation, was enhanced in DHA-treated U937 cells. Taken together, these results indicated that DHA enhanced the expression of M2 macrophage markers through the p38 MAPK signaling pathway and autophagy, suggesting that DHA regulates M2 macrophage polarization and plays an important role in innate immunity. K E Y W O R D Sautophagy, docosahexaenoic acid, macrophage, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, polarization

Although leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is produced in various inflammatory diseases, its functions in bone metabolism remain unknown. Using mice deficient in the high-affinity LTB4 receptor BLT1, we evaluated the roles of BLT1 in the development of two bone resorption models, namely bone loss induced by ovariectomy and lipopolysaccharide. Through observations of bone mineral contents and bone morphometric parameters, we found that bone resorption in both models was significantly attenuated in BLT1-deficient mice. Furthermore, osteoclasts from BLT1-deficient mice showed reduced calcium resorption activities compared with wild-type osteoclasts. Osteoclasts expressed BLT1, but not the low-affinity LTB4 receptor BLT2, and produced LTB4. LTB4 changed the cell morphology of osteoclasts through the BLT1-Gi protein-Rac1 signaling pathway. Given the causal relationship between osteoclast morphology and osteoclastic activity, these findings suggest that autocrine/paracrine LTB4 increases the osteoclastic activity through the BLT1-Gi protein-Rac1 signaling pathway. Inhibition of BLT1 functions may represent a strategy for preventing bone resorption diseases.bone remodeling ͉ G protein-coupled receptor ͉ knockout mice ͉ lipid mediator ͉ osteoporosis ͉ L eukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ), a metabolite of arachidonic acid, is a potent lipid mediator with various biological activities toward neutrophils and differentiated T cells, including chemotaxis, degranulation, and production of superoxide anions (1, 2). These actions of LTB 4 are mediated by specific cell surface receptors (BLTs). We previously cloned two distinct BLTs, BLT1 and BLT2 (3,4). BLT1 is a high-affinity receptor that mediates the inhibition of adenylate cyclase and calcium entry by coupling with the Gi-and Gq-classes of G proteins (5). BLT2 transduces comparable intracellular signals but has a lower affinity to LTB 4 (5). Although several hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids were found to activate BLT2 (6), we recently identified 12(S)-hydroxyheptadeca-5Z, 8E, 10E-trienoic acid (12-HHT) as a very potent endogenous ligand for BLT2 (7). LTB 4 is produced in inf lammatory diseases such as psoriasis (8), bronchial asthma (9), ulcerative colitis (10), postischemic tissue injuries (11), and rheumatoid arthritis (12-15).Bone remodeling consists of old bone resorption by osteoclasts and new bone deposition by osteoblasts. Osteoclasts and osteoblasts participate in bone remodeling under the control of many hormones, cytokines (16,17), and autacoids, including lipid mediators (18). The effects of LTB 4 on bone resorption were investigated using organ cultures of mouse calvariae (19,20). LTB 4 enhanced calcium efflux from the mouse calvariae, suggesting that LTB 4 stimulates bone resorption (19). LTB 4 increased the formation of resorption pits by osteoclasts in rat bone tissues (20), suggesting that LTB 4 modulates bone resorption by increasing the number and/or activity of osteoclasts. However, few reports have provided definitive biochemical information about the mRNA/protein expression and ...