Lhx2 Regulates Bone Remodeling in Mice by Modulating RANKL Signaling in Osteoclasts
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Cell Death and Differentiation (2014) 21, 1613–1621 & 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved 1350-9047/14 www.nature.com/cdd Lhx2 regulates bone remodeling in mice by modulating RANKL signaling in osteoclasts JH Kim1,2,3, BU Youn1,2, K Kim1,2, JB Moon1,2, J Lee1,2, K-Il Nam4, Y-W Park5, DDM O’Leary6, KK Kim1,2,3 and N Kim*,1,2,3 The LIM homeobox 2 (Lhx2) transcription factor Lhx2 has a variety of functions, including neural induction, morphogenesis, and hematopoiesis. Here we show the involvement of Lhx2 in osteoclast differentiation. Lhx2 was strongly expressed in osteoclast precursor cells but its expression was significantly reduced during receptor activator of nuclear factor-jB ligand (RANKL)- mediated osteoclastogenesis. Overexpression of Lhx2 in bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage lineage cells (BMMs), which are osteoclast precursor cells, attenuated RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation by inhibiting the induction of nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1). Interestingly, interaction of Lhx2 proteins with c-Fos attenuated the DNA-binding ability of c-Fos and thereby inhibited the transactivation of NFATc1. Furthermore, Lhx2 conditional knockout mice exhibited an osteoporotic bone phenotype, which was related with increased osteoclast formation in vivo. Taken together, our results suggest that Lhx2 acts as a negative regulator of osteoclast formation in vitro and in vivo. The anti-osteoclastogenic effect of Lhx2 may be useful for developing a therapeutic strategy for bone disease. Cell Death and Differentiation (2014) 21, 1613–1621; doi:10.1038/cdd.2014.71; published online 6 June 2014 Bone homeostasis is maintained by a delicate balance PU.1, and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1), between the activities of osteoblasts and those of osteoclasts. which have a critical role in osteoclastogenesis. Excessive osteoclast activity relative to osteoblast activity c-Fos, a member of the AP-1 family of transcription factors, leads to bone diseases such as osteoporosis.1 Osteoblasts is induced by RANKL in the early stage of osteoclast are mononuclear cells that are responsible for bone formation differentiation. c-Fos knockout mice exhibit an osteopetrotic and osteoclast differentiation. Osteoblasts differentiate from bone phenotype because of defects in the commitment of the mesenchymal progenitors under the control of various growth osteoclast lineage.4,5 Overexpression of c-Fos or NFATc1 in factors, in particular, the bone morphogenetic proteins osteoclast precursor cells lacking c-Fos rescues the osteo- (BMPs).2 clast differentiation defect.6 RANKL activates c-Fos, NF-kB, Osteoclasts are unique bone cells that can control the and a sustained low-amplitude calcium oscillation, which amount of bone tissue by resorbing mineralized bone matrix. results in the induction and activation of NFATc1. Subse- Osteoclasts are characterized by tartrate-resistant acid quently, activated NFATc1 induces the expression of target phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinuclear cells (MNCs) genes, including TRAP, cathepsin K, and osteoclast-asso- originate from hematopoietic precursors. Osteoclast forma- ciated receptor (OSCAR), which are important for osteoclast tion requires two essential cytokines: macrophage colony- differentiation or function.4,7,8 NFATc1-deficient embryonic stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear stem cells fail to differentiate into osteoclasts in response to factor kB ligand (RANKL). These membrane-bound proteins RANKL.4 In addition, osteoclast-specific conditional NFATc1- are produced by stromal cells and osteoblasts. Binding of deficient mice, which were generated to overcome the M-CSF to its transmembrane receptor c-Fms induces embryonic lethality of NFATc1 knockout mice, develop receptor activation of nuclear kB (RANK) expression on osteopetrosis as a result of the defect in osteoclastogenesis.9 osteoclast precursor cells by activating the Ets transcription Therefore, it has been well established that the RANKL/c-Fos/ factor PU.1 and thereby mediates the proliferation and NFATc1 signaling pathway is the critical converging pathway survival of osteoclasts.3 Binding of RANKL to its receptor for osteoclast differentiation via induction of various osteo- RANK activates various transcription factors, including c-Fos, clast marker genes such as TRAP, cathepsin K, and OSCAR. 1Medical Research Center for Gene Regulation, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Pharmacology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; 3Center for Creative Biomedical Scientists at Chonnam National University, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; 4Department of Anatomy, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Republic of Korea; 5Department of Rheumatology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Republic of Korea and 6Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA *Corresponding author: N Kim, Department of Pharmacology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju 501-746, Republic of Korea. Tel: þ 82 62 220 4418; Fax: þ 82 62 223 4018; E-mail: [email protected] Abbreviations: RANKL, receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand; 1,25(OH)2D3,1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3; BMP, bone morphogenetic protein; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; TRAP, tartrate-resistant acid phosphate; M-CSF, macrophage colony-stimulating factor; JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase; ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; NFAT, nuclear factor of activated T cells; TNF, tumor necrosis factor; IFN, interferon; IL-6, interleukin-6; OSCAR, osteoclast-associated receptor; OPG, osteoprotegerin; BMM, bone marrow-derived macrophage lineage cell; ChIP, chromatin immunoprecipitation; Lhx2, LIM homeobox 2; NFATc1, nuclear factor of activated T cells c1; MNC, multinuclear cell; EMSA, electrophoretic mobility shift assay Received 08.11.13; revised 28.4.14; accepted 29.4.14; Edited by JP Medema; published online 06.6.14 The role of Lhx2 in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis JH Kim et al 1614 The LIM homeobox 2 transcription factor Lhx2 (also known as LH2 or LH2A) is a member of the LIM homeodomain family of proteins. Members of the LIM-homeodomain family are made of a homeodomain and two LIM domains that comprise two zinc-finger-like structures. The LIM domain can associate with various transcriptional cofactors and may modulate the biological functions of LIM-homeodomain proteins.10 Lhx2 was originally identified in pituitary cells and in pre-B-cell lines.11,12 Lhx2 expression is essential in a wide variety of progenitor/stem cell populations.13 Recent studies have shown that Lhx2 has important roles in eye development, liver differentiation, hair formation, and the complete devel- opment of olfactory sensory neurons.14–16 In this study, we conducted a microarray analysis to find new regulatory molecules that may act as negative regulators during osteoclastogenesis. As a result of the microarray analysis, we found that Lhx2 expression is strongly down- regulated during osteoclast differentiation. Overexpression of Lhx2 in bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage lineage cells (BMMs) inhibits RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis by inhibiting binding of c-Fos to the promoter of NFATc1, which suggests that Lhx2 acts as a negative regulatory molecule during RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis. Furthermore, our results from osteoclast-specific deletion of Lhx2 clearly established that Lhx2 can control bone mass by regulating osteoclast differentiation in vivo. Figure 1 Expression of Lhx2 in osteoclasts and osteoblasts. (a) BMMs were cultured with M-CSF and RANKL for the indicated times. (b) Osteoblasts were cultured with osteogenic medium containing BMP2, ascorbic acid, and Results b-glycerophosphate for the indicated times. (a and b) Quantitative real-time PCR was performed for mRNA expression of NFATc1, TRAP, Lhx2, ALP, and bone Lhx2 expression is downregulated by RANKL during sialoprotein (BSP). Data represent means±S.Ds. *Po0.01, **Po0.001 versus osteoclast differentiation. To examine the expression control patterns of Lhx2, we performed real-time PCR in osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoclast differentiation was induced by containing BMP2, ascorbic acid, and b-glycerophosphate. culturing BMMs in the presence of M-CSF and RANKL. Lhx2 The expression of osteoblast marker genes including alkaline expression was strongly downregulated by RANKL during phosphatase (ALP) and bone sialoprotein was strongly osteoclast differentiation, whereas the expression of NFATc1 increased during osteoblast differentiation, whereas Lhx2 and TRAP, markers for osteoclasts, increased as the cells expression was slightly increased (Figure 1b). differentiated (Figure 1a). Because Lhx2 is downregulated by RANKL at the early stage of osteoclastogenesis, we Overexpression of Lhx2 in osteoclast precursor cells determined which signaling pathways are essential for Lhx2 inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast formation. To inves- downregulation by using various inhibitors of early signaling tigate the role of Lhx2 in osteoclasts and osteoblasts, we pathways activated by RANKL. As shown in Supplementary overexpressed Lhx2 in BMMs and primary calvarial cells by Figure 1, treatment with SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor), using retrovirus. Transduced BMMs were cultured with PD98059 (MEK inhibitor), and SP600125 (c-Jun N-terminal M-CSF alone or M-CSF and RANKL and stained for TRAP. kinase (JNK) inhibitor) in BMMs did