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Biomedical subjects

Lianping Xing

Publications and source records attributed to Lianping Xing.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Regulation of bone remodeling and emerging breakthrough drugs for osteoporosis and osteolytic bone metastases.

Major advances have been made in the past 10 years in our understanding of the molecular basis of bone cell formation and bone remodeling. For example, the discovery of osteoprotegerin, the decoy receptor and inhibitor of receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL), and the RANKL/receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANK) signaling pathway that is essential for osteoclastogenesis, has helped clarify the mechanisms regulating osteoclast formation, activation, and survival. PTH, like most other osteoclast stimulating factors, promotes RANKL production by osteoblast/stromal cells when they are exposed to it continuously, but when given intermittently it stimulates bone formation and reduces fracture risk in postmenopausal women. This anabolic effect is associated with increased expression of insulin-like and fibroblast growth factors and decreased osteoblast apoptosis. Src tyrosine kinase is essential for osteoclast activation and also negatively regulates osteoblast activity. Thus, it is a well-validated therapeutic target for the prevention of postmenopausal and other forms of bone loss. Preliminary in vitro and in vivo studies of specifically designed, bone targeted, non-peptide Src inhibitors have shown that these compounds inhibit bone resorption and stimulate new bone formation. The design of drugs using structure/function approaches such as this should lead to the development of novel therapeutics that could be used to counteract the negative effects of chronic renal failure on the skeleton.

Animals↗

Expression of either NF-kappaB p50 or p52 in osteoclast precursors is required for IL-1-induced bone resorption.

Interleukin (IL)-1 is implicated in postmenopausal- and inflammation-mediated bone loss. Its expression is regulated by NF-kappaB and vice versa. To examine the role of NF-kappaB p50 and p52 (they are required for osteoclast formation during embryonic development) in IL-1-induced resorption, we used various NF-kappaB knockout (KO) mice, including p50-/- and p52-/- single KO, p50-/- and p52+/- (3/4KO), and p50-/- and p52-/- double KO (dKO) mice. IL-1 increased blood calcium and bone resorption in wild-type (wt), p50, and p52 single KO mice, but not in 3/4KO or dKO mice. Osteoclast formation was impaired in bone marrow cultures from 3/4KO compared with single KO and wt mice treated with IL-1. IL-1 receptor expression was similar in colony forming unit-granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) colony cells from wt and dKO mice. However, IL-1 promoted CFU-GM colony formation and survival as well as the formation, activity, and survival of osteoclasts generated from these colonies from wt mouse splenocytes, but not from dKO splenocytes. No difference in expression of the osteoclast regulatory cytokines, RANKL, and OPG, was observed in osteoblasts from wt and dKO mice. Thus, expression of either NF-kappaB p50 or p52 is required in osteoclasts and their precursors, rather than osteoblasts, for IL-1-mediated bone resorption.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

Generation and characterization of androgen receptor knockout (ARKO) mice: an in vivo model for the study of androgen functions in selective tissues.

By using a cre-lox conditional knockout strategy, we report here the generation of androgen receptor knockout (ARKO) mice. Phenotype analysis shows that ARKO male mice have a female-like appearance and body weight. Their testes are 80% smaller and serum testosterone concentrations are lower than in wild-type (wt) mice. Spermatogenesis is arrested at pachytene spermatocytes. The number and size of adipocytes are also different between the wt and ARKO mice. Cancellous bone volumes of ARKO male mice are reduced compared with wt littermates. In addition, we found the average number of pups per litter in homologous and heterozygous ARKO female mice is lower than in wt female mice, suggesting potential defects in female fertility and/or ovulation. The cre-lox ARKO mouse provides a much-needed in vivo animal model to study androgen functions in the selective androgen target tissues in female or male mice.

Adipose Tissue↗

In vivo RANK signaling blockade using the receptor activator of NF-kappaB:Fc effectively prevents and ameliorates wear debris-induced osteolysis via osteoclast depletion without inhibiting osteogenesis.

Prosthesis failure due to wear debris-induced osteolysis remains a major clinical problem and the greatest limitation for total joint arthroplasty. Based on our knowledge of osteoclast involvement in this process and the requirements of receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANK) signaling in osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, we investigated the efficacy of RANK blockade in preventing and ameliorating titanium (Ti)-induced osteolysis in a mouse calvaria model. Compared with placebo controls we found that all doses of RANK:Fc above 1 mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip) per 48 h significantly inhibited osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption in response to Ti implanted locally. Complete inhibition occurred at 10 mg/kg ip per 48 h, yielding results that were statistically equivalent to data obtained with Ti-treated RANK-/- mice. We also evaluated the effects of a single injection of RANK:Fc on day 5 on established osteolysis and found that Ti-treated were still depleted for multinucleated tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive (TRAP+) cells 16 days later. More importantly, this osteoclast depletion did not affect bone formation because the bone lost from the osteolysis on day 5 was restored by day 21. An assessment of the quantity and quality of the newly formed bone in these calvariae by calcein labeling and infrared (IR) microscopy, respectively, showed no significant negative effect of RANK:Fc treatment. These studies indicate that osteoclast depletion via RANK blockade is an effective method to prevent and reverse wear debris-induced osteolysis without jeopardizing osteogenesis.

Acid Phosphatase↗

NF-kappaB p50 and p52 expression is not required for RANK-expressing osteoclast progenitor formation but is essential for RANK- and cytokine-mediated osteoclastogenesis.

Expression of RANKL by stromal cells and of RANK and both NF-kappaB p50 and p52 by osteoclast precursors is essential for osteoclast formation. To examine further the role of RANKL, RANK, and NF-KB signaling in this process, we used NF-kappaB p50-/- ;p52-/- double knockout (dKO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Osteoclasts formed in cocultures of WT osteoblasts with splenocytes from WT mice but not from dKO mice, a finding unchanged by addition of RANKL and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). NF-kappaB dKO splenocytes formed more colony-forming unit granulocyte macrophage (CFU-GM) colonies than WT cells, but no osteoclasts were formed from dKO CFU-GM colonies. RANKL increased the number of CFU-GM colonies twofold in WT cultures but not in dKO cultures. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis of splenocytes from NF-kappaB dKO mice revealed a two-to threefold increase in the percentage of CD11b (Mac-1) and RANK double-positive cells compared with WT controls. Treatment of NF-kappaB dKO splenocytes with interleukin (IL)-1, TNF-alpha, M-CSF, GM-CSF, and IL-6 plus soluble IL-6 receptor did not rescue the osteoclast defect. No increase in apoptosis was observed in cells of the osteoclast lineage in NF-kappaB dKO or p50-/-;p52+/- (3/4KO) mice. Thus, NF-kappaB p50 and p52 expression is not required for formation of RANK-expressing osteoclast progenitors but is essential for RANK-expressing osteoclast precursors to differentiate into TRAP+ osteoclasts in response to RANKL and other osteoclastogenic cytokines.

Animals↗