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Retinoid X receptors orchestrate osteoclast differentiation and postnatal bone remodeling
María P. Menéndez-Gutiérrez, … , Annabel F. Valledor, Mercedes Ricote
María P. Menéndez-Gutiérrez, … , Annabel F. Valledor, Mercedes Ricote
Published January 9, 2015
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2015;125(2):809-823. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI77186.
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Research Article Bone biology

Retinoid X receptors orchestrate osteoclast differentiation and postnatal bone remodeling

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Abstract

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing cells that are important for maintenance of bone remodeling and mineral homeostasis. Regulation of osteoclast differentiation and activity is important for the pathogenesis and treatment of diseases associated with bone loss. Here, we demonstrate that retinoid X receptors (RXRs) are key elements of the transcriptional program of differentiating osteoclasts. Loss of RXR function in hematopoietic cells resulted in formation of giant, nonresorbing osteoclasts and increased bone mass in male mice and protected female mice from bone loss following ovariectomy, which induces osteoporosis in WT females. The increase in bone mass associated with RXR deficiency was due to lack of expression of the RXR-dependent transcription factor v-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene family, protein B (MAFB) in osteoclast progenitors. Evaluation of osteoclast progenitor cells revealed that RXR homodimers directly target and bind to the Mafb promoter, and this interaction is required for proper osteoclast proliferation, differentiation, and activity. Pharmacological activation of RXRs inhibited osteoclast differentiation due to the formation of RXR/liver X receptor (LXR) heterodimers, which induced expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), resulting in indirect MAFB upregulation. Our study reveals that RXR signaling mediates bone homeostasis and suggests that RXRs have potential as targets for the treatment of bone pathologies such as osteoporosis.

Authors

María P. Menéndez-Gutiérrez, Tamás Rőszer, Lucía Fuentes, Vanessa Núñez, Amelia Escolano, Juan Miguel Redondo, Nora De Clerck, Daniel Metzger, Annabel F. Valledor, Mercedes Ricote

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Figure 10

Schematic of RXR/MAFB signaling in osteoclastogenesis.

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Schematic of RXR/MAFB signaling in osteoclastogenesis.
RXR homodimers su...
RXR homodimers sustain Mafb transcription in osteoclast precursors, allowing a proper proliferative response to M-CSF and expression of cathepsin-K during osteoclast differentiation. In differentiating osteoclasts, ligand activation of RXR/LXR heterodimers induces the expression of Mafb through SREBP-1c. As a result, MAFB counteracts RANKL signaling and inhibits osteoclast differentiation and activation.

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ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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