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Lowell P. Weicker, Jr. General Clinical Research Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, MC-2806, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030. Fax 960-679-1856; e-mail Raisz{at}nso.uchc.edu
| Abstract |
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The bone remodeling cycle involves a complex series of sequential steps that are highly regulated. The "activation" phase of remodeling is dependent on the effects of local and systemic factors on mesenchymal cells of the osteoblast lineage. These cells interact with hematopoietic precursors to form osteoclasts in the "resorption" phase. Subsequently, there is a "reversal" phase during which mononuclear cells are present on the bone surface. They may complete the resorption process and produce the signals that initiate formation. Finally, successive waves of mesenchymal cells differentiate into functional osteoblasts, which lay down matrix in the "formation" phase.
The effects of calcium-regulating hormones on this remodeling cycle subserve the metabolic functions of the skeleton. Other systemic hormones control overall skeletal growth. The responses to changes in mechanical force and repair of microfractures, as well as the maintenance of the remodeling cycle, are determined locally by cytokines, prostaglandins, and growth factors. Interactions between systemic and local factors are important in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis as well as the skeletal changes in hyperparathyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Local factors are implicated in the pathogenesis of the skeletal changes associated with immobilization, inflammation, and Paget disease of bone.© 1999 American Association for Clinical Chemistry
| Introduction |
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Bone is initially formed by "modeling", that is, the deposition of mineralized tissue at developmentally determined sites, generally preceded by a cartilage analog. The lengthening of bone involves an orderly sequence of replacement of cartilage by bone, called "endochondral" bone formation. Bone is formed independently of cartilage as "membranous" bone, particularly in the flat bones such as the skull, but it is still adjacent to a cartilage template.
"Remodeling" of bone begins early in fetal life, and once the
skeleton is fully formed in young adults almost all of the metabolic
activity is in this form. The bone remodeling cycle (2)
involves a series of highly regulated steps that depend on the
interactions of two cell lineages, the mesenchymal osteoblastic lineage
and the hematopoietic osteoclastic lineage. The initial
"activation" stage involves the interaction of osteoclast and
osteoblast precursor cells (Fig. 1
). This leads to the differentiation, migration, and fusion of
the large multinucleated osteoclasts. These cells attach to the
mineralized bone surface and initiate resorption by the secretion of
hydrogen ions and lysosomal enzymes, particularly cathepsin K, which
can degrade all the components of bone matrix, including collagen, at
low pH. The attachment of osteoclasts to bone may require specific
changes in the so-called "lining cells" on the bone surface, which
can contract and release proteolytic enzymes to uncover a mineralized
surface. Osteoclastic resorption produces irregular scalloped cavities
on the trabecular bone surface, called Howship lacunae, or
cylindrical Haversian canals in cortical bone. Once the osteoclasts
have completed their work of bone removal, there is a "reversal"
phase during which mononuclear cells, which may be of the macrophage
lineage, are seen on the bone surface. The events during this stage are
not well understood, but they may involve further degradation of
collagen, deposition of proteoglycans to form the so-called cement
line, and release of growth factors to initiate the formation phase.
During the final "formation" phase of the remodeling cycle, the
cavity created by resorption can be completely filled in by successive
layers of osteoblasts, which differentiate from their mesenchymal
precursors and deposit a mineralizable matrix.
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The differentiation pathway for osteoblasts is illustrated in Fig. 2
. The precursor mesenchymal or stromal stem cell for osteoblasts
is pluripotential and can also differentiate into adipocytes or marrow
support cells, and possibly, into fibroblasts, muscle cells, or
cartilage cells. The pathway to adipocytes is of particular importance
because cells that have the capacity to form osteoblasts can be
diverted into this lineage and are then no longer available for bone
formation. This may account for the fact that as the marrow becomes
more fatty with aging, osteoblast renewal appears to be impaired. Once
the osteoblast has differentiated and completed its cycle of matrix
synthesis, it can become a flattened lining cell on the bone surface,
be buried in the bone as an osteocyte, or undergo programmed cell death
(apoptosis) (3). The osteocytes are critical for maintaining
fluid flow through the bone, and changes in this fluid flow may provide
the signal for the cellular response to mechanical forces such as
impact loading.
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| Systemic Regulation of Bone Remodeling |
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PTH regulates serum calcium concentration. It is a potent stimulator of bone resorption and has biphasic effects on bone formation. There is an acute inhibition of collagen synthesis with high concentrations of PTH, but prolonged intermittent administration of this hormone produces increased bone formation, a property for which it is being explored clinically as an anabolic agent (4). Plasma PTH tends to increase with age, and this may produce an increase in bone turnover and a loss of bone mass, particularly of cortical bone. 1,25-Dihydroxy vitamin D has its greatest effect on intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption, but it may also have direct effects on bone and other tissues (5). It is probably critical for the differentiation of both osteoblasts and osteoclasts and can stimulate bone resorption and formation under some experimental conditions.
Other systemic hormones are important in regulating skeletal growth. Growth hormone, acting through both systemic and local insulin-like growth factor (IGF) production, can stimulate bone formation and resorption (6). Glucocorticoids are necessary for bone cell differentiation during development, but their greatest postnatal effect is to inhibit bone formation (7). This is the major pathogenetic mechanism in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Indirect effects of glucocorticoids on calcium absorption and sex hormone production may, however, increase bone resorption. Thyroid hormones can also stimulate bone resorption and formation and are critical for maintenance of normal bone remodeling (8).
Probably the most important systemic hormone in maintaining normal bone
turnover is estrogen (9). Estrogen deficiency leads to an
increase in bone remodeling in which resorption outstrips formation and
bone mass decreases. This can be observed not only in postmenopausal
women, but also in men with defects either in the estrogen receptor or
in the synthesis of estrogen from testosterone (10). The
mechanisms by which estrogen regulates bone turnover are still not well
understood, although studies in animals suggest that estrogen acts by
altering either the production or activity of local factors that
regulate osteoblast and osteoclast precursors
(9)(11). Estrogen treatment produces a decrease
in both formation and resorption of bone associated with decreased
remodeling but increases bone mass. This increase may simply be a
result of the filling in of the resorption space. Alternatively,
estrogen may inhibit local factors that impair bone formation or
enhance local factors that stimulate bone formation (Fig. 3
).
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| Local Regulators of Bone Remodeling |
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A large number of cytokines and growth factors that can affect bone cell functions have now been identified. Recently, some of the proteins that are responsible for the interaction between cells of the osteoblastic and osteoclastic lineage have been identified. These proteins are in the family of tumor necrosis factor receptors. Osteoblast precursors express a molecule called TRANCE, or osteoclast differentiation factor, which can activate cells of the osteoclast lineage by interacting with a receptor called RANK (14)(15). A third molecule, osteoprotegerin (OPG), can be produced by cells of the osteoblast lineage, but it can also be produced by other cells in the marrow. OPG acts as a decoy receptor for TRANCE, blocking its interaction with RANK and inhibiting osteoclast formation. Recent studies have shown that knocking out the OPG gene in rodents produces severe osteoporosis characterized by excessive bone resorption (16).
Bone contains a large number of growth factors. Among the most abundant are the IGFs, which, with their associated binding proteins, may be important modulators of local bone remodeling (6)(17). Transforming growth factor ß and the related family of bone morphogenetic proteins are present in the skeleton and have important functions not only in remodeling, but also in skeletal development (18)(19). Other growth factors, such as platelet-derived growth factor, PTH-related protein, and fibroblast growth factor may play an important role in physiologic remodeling and an even more important role in the remodeling associated with skeletal repair (20)(21).
| Pathophysiology of Bone Remodeling |
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osteoporosis
Primary osteoporosis is by far the most common metabolic disorder
of the skeleton (24). This disorder has been divided into
type 1, or postmenopausal osteoporosis, and type 2, or senile
osteoporosis, on the basis of possible differences in etiology.
However, recent studies have suggested that estrogen deficiency is
important for the pathogenesis of both types of osteoporosis and in
both men and women (25). Osteoporosis is defined as a
decrease in bone mass and strength leading to increased propensity to
fracture. The loss of bone mass and strength can be contributed to by
(a) failure to reach an optimal peak bone mass as a young
adult, (b) excessive resorption of bone after peak mass has
been achieved, or (c) an impaired bone formation response
during remodeling. Studies using bone markers suggest that there is
accelerated bone remodeling at menopause and that bone formation may
increase overall, but that the rate is inadequate to replace the bone
lost by resorption. This could be either because of a defect in
osteoblast function or because of loss of template from excessive
resorption with perforation of trabecular plates and removal of
endosteal cortical bone. The defect in osteoblast function could be the
consequence of cellular senescence, but also may be the result of a
decrease in the synthesis or activity of systemic and local growth
factors. As noted above, there may be a complex interaction between
estrogen and multiple local growth factors (Fig. 3
). One of the most
difficult challenges in the field of osteoporosis will be to determine
which, if any, of these local factors are critical in pathogenesis.
Identification of such specific factors could lead to exciting new
approaches to diagnosis and therapy
(26)(27).
hyperparathyroidism and hyperthyroidism
In these disorders, bone turnover may be markedly increased with
or without decreased bone mass. Both parathyroid hormones and thyroid
hormones can stimulate bone formation as well as resorption, and if the
cells of the osteoblastic lineage are sufficiently responsive, then
bone loss will not occur. Increased IL-6 has been reported in
hyperparathyroidism. In severe disease or in the aged, in whom bone
formation responses are limited, these disorders are likely to be
associated with decreased bone mass (4)(28).
paget disease
A remarkable disorder of bone remodeling is Paget disease
(23)(29). In this disorder, the osteoclasts become
abnormally activated, possibly by viral infection (30), and
produce a bizarre and irregular pattern of resorption, to which there
is usually an intense osteoblastic response with irregular new bone
formation often in the form of woven bone. Thus, in Paget disease there
may be increased bone density, but because of the irregular
architecture, bone strength is decreased and pathologic fractures may
occur. Paget disease also has a genetic component that may be linked to
an osteosarcoma tumor suppressor gene (31). This could
account for the increased risk of osteosarcoma in patients with Paget
disease.
orthopedic disorders
Some of the local pathologic changes in the skeleton that occur in
association with orthopedic disorders have also been found to involve
local factors. For example, the heterotopic ossification that occurs
after hip surgery may be mediated by prostaglandin because it can be
diminished by giving inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis, such as
indomethacin (32). The loosening of prostheses has been
shown to involve local cytokine and prostaglandin production by
inflammatory cells (33).
osteopetrosis
Decreased bone turnover can also lead to skeletal abnormalities.
There are several syndromes of osteopetrosis or osteosclerosis in which
bone resorption is defective because of impaired formation of
osteoclasts or loss of osteoclast function. In these disorders, bone
modeling as well as remodeling are impaired, and the architecture of
the skeleton can be quite abnormal (34)(35).
| Conclusion |
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| Acknowledgments |
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| Footnotes |
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| References |
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