Abstract

GANGOITI, María Virginia; MCCARTHY, Antonio Desmond  and  CORTIZO, Ana María. Effect of Advanced Glycation Endproducts and Alendronate on osteoclastic development: possible mechanisms of action. Rev. argent. endocrinol. metab. [online]. 2012, vol.49, n.1, pp.12-19. ISSN 1851-3034.

Introduction: Patients with Diabetes mellitus frequently show osteopenia and/or osteoporosis, as well as an increase in low-trauma fracture risk. This has been postulated to be caused partially by the accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in bone extracellular matrix. AGEs could affect the homeostasis of bone cells, such as osteoblasts, osteocytes and osteoclasts. Osteoclasts (Oc) are multi-nucleated cells specialized in resorbing bone. Bisphosphonates (BP) are drugs widely used for treatment of bone diseases, and their principal mechanism of action is to inhibit the resorptive action of Oc. However, the use of BP for the treatment of patients with Diabetes-related bone disease is still controversial. Objective: To study the effect of AGEs and Alendronate (an N-containing BP) on the development of Oc in culture, as well as possible mechanisms of action involved in these effects. Materials and Methods: RAW264.7 macrophages and UMR106 osteoblasts were co-cultured for 8 days, with BSA or AGEs (50-200 µg/ml), with or without Alendronate (10^-8-10^-4M). The effect of these culture conditions on Oc formation was evaluated (number of Oc, cell-associated tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase [TRAP] activity), as well as Oc expression of RAGE (receptor for AGEs), and osteoblastic expression of RANK ligand (RANKL). These last two parameters were evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence, in order to estimate the expression and sub-cellular distribution of both membrane-associated proteins. Results: AGEs (50-200 µg/ml) dose-dependently inhibited TRAP activity (10-30 %) and the number of multinucleated Oc (55 %). Similar results were observed for low doses of Alendronate (10^-8M-10^-6M). The co-incubation of low doses of Alendronate with 100 mg/ml of AGEs, did not induce an additional inhibition of TRAP activity or Oc number, to that observed for AGEs alone. High levels of Alendronate (10^-5M-10^-4M) inhibited Oc TRAP activity (20-25 % inhibition versus BSA, and 17 % versus AGEs), and also decreased the number of Oc formed in the presence of AGEs (16 % inhibition versus AGEs). Oc incubated in the presence of 100 µg/ml AGEs, showed a significant increase in the expression of RAGE (152 % versus BSA). Similar results were found after incubating with 10^-8M Alendronate (130 % versus BSA). On the contrary, high doses of Alendronate (10^-5M) did not affect the expression of RAGE in co-cultures incubated with BSA (95 % versus BSA). On the other hand, low doses of Alendronate in the presence of AGEs, did not affect the up-regulation of RAGE induced by AGEs (145 % versus BSA). However, when the Oc were co-incubated with AGEs and 10^-5M Alendronate, this dose of BP was able to block the stimulation of RAGE expression induced by AGEs (105 % versus BSA). In osteoblasts, incubation with 100 µg/ml AGEs induced an inhibition in the expression of RANKL (50 % versus BSA). Alendronate (10^-8M-10^-5M) also inhibited RANKL expression in a dose-dependent manner (65-47 % versus BSA). However, Alendronate (10^-8M-10^-5M) did not modify the AGEs-induced inhibition in osteoblastic RANKL expression (59-45 % versus BSA). Conclusions: AGEs and Alendronate inhibit the number and differentiation of Oc in culture, with an additive effect for both agents at high Alendronate concentrations. AGEs and Alendronate also reduce the osteoblastic expression of RANKL, which could partially explain their effects on the recruitment and maturation of Oc. In addition, AGEs and low doses of Alendronate increase the expression of RAGE in cultured Oc, and this effect correlates with their inhibition of Oc development.

Keywords : Diabetes mellitus; Advanced glycation endproducts; Bisphosphonates; Osteoclasts.

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