Extracellular fluid flow and chloride content modulate H(+) transport by osteoclasts.

BACKGROUND: Bone resorption takes place within the basic multicellular units (BMU), and the surface to be resorbed is isolated from adjacent bone surfaces by a sealing zone between osteoclast membrane and bone matrix, which defines the limits of the resorption lacuna. Considering that the extracellular fluid (ECF) in both BMU and the resorption lacuna can be isolated from its surroundings, I hypothesize that flow and ion composition of the bone ECF in these sites might contribute to the regulation of osteoclast H(+) secretion. To investigate this hypothesis, I evaluated the H(+) secretion properties of individual osteoclasts and osteoclast-like cells (OCL-cells) and investigated whether changes in flow or chloride content of the extracellular solution modify the H(+) secretion properties in vitro. RESULTS: The results show that 1) osteoclasts are unable to secrete H(+) and regulate intracellular pH (pHi) under continuous flow conditions and exhibit progressive intracellular acidification; 2) the cessation of flow coincides with the onset of H(+) secretion and subsequent progressive intracellular alkalinization of osteoclasts and OCL-cells; 3) osteoclasts exhibit spontaneous rhythmic oscillations of pHi in non-flowing ECF, 4) pHi oscillations are not abolished by concanamycin, NPPB, or removal of extracellular Na(+) or Cl(-); 5) extracellular Cl(-) removal modifies the pattern of oscillations, by diminishing H(+) secretion; 6) pHi oscillations are abolished by continuous flowing of ECF over osteoclasts and OCL-cells. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest, for the first time, that ECF flow and Cl(-) content have direct effects on osteoclast H(+) secretion and could be part of a mechanism determining the onset of osteoclast H(+) secretion required for bone resorption.

Double disruption of α2A- and α2C-adrenoceptors results in sympathetic hyperactivity and high-bone-mass phenotype.

Evidence demonstrates that sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation causes osteopenia via ß(2)-adrenoceptor (ß2-AR) signaling. Here we show that female mice with chronic sympathetic hyperactivity owing to double knockout of adrenoceptors that negatively regulate norepinephrine release, α(2A)-AR and α(2C)-AR (α(2A) /α(2C)-ARKO), present an unexpected and generalized phenotype of high bone mass with decreased bone resorption and increased formation. In α(2A) /α(2C)-ARKO versus wild-type (WT) mice, micro-computed tomographic (µCT) analysis showed increased, better connected, and more plate-shaped trabeculae in the femur and vertebra and increased cortical thickness in the vertebra, whereas biomechanical analysis showed increased tibial and femoral strength. Tibial mRNA expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) and receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK), which are osteoclast-related factors, was lower in knockout (KO) mice. Plasma leptin and brain mRNA levels of cocaine amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), which are factors that centrally affect bone turnover, and serum levels of estradiol were similar between mice strains. Tibial ß(2)-AR mRNA expression also was similar in KO and WT littermates, whereas α(2A)-, α(2B)- and α(2C)-AR mRNAs were detected in the tibia of WT mice and in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. By immunohistochemistry, we detected α(2A)-, α(2B)-, α(2C)- and ß(2)-ARs in osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and chondrocytes of 18.5-day-old mouse fetuses and 35-day-old mice. Finally, we showed that isolated osteoclasts in culture are responsive to the selective α(2)-AR agonist clonidine and to the nonspecific α-AR antagonist phentolamine. These findings suggest that ß(2)-AR is not the single adrenoceptor involved in bone turnover regulation and show that α(2)-AR signaling also may mediate the SNS actions in the skeleton.