Endocrinology Vol. 138, No. 7 3047-3055
Copyright © 1997 by The Endocrine Society
Osteopontin Expression by Osteoclast and Osteoblast Progenitors in the Murine Bone Marrow: Demonstration of Its Requirement for Osteoclastogenesis and Its Increase After Ovariectomy1
Tomoo Yamate,
Hanna Mocharla,
Yasuto Taguchi,
Joseph U. Igietseme,
Stavros C. Manolagas and
Etsuko Abe
Department of Medicine (T.Y., H.M., Y.T., S.C.M., E.A.), Division
of Endocrinology and Metabolism, the UAMS Center for Osteoporosis and
Metabolic Bone Diseases, and the McClellan VA Medical Center GRECC;
Department of Microbiology and Immunology (J.U.I.), University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Etsuko Abe, Ph.D., Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham, Mail Slot 587, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205. E-mail: eabe{at}acrc.uams.edu
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Abstract
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Osteoclast development requires cell-to-cell contact between
hematopoietic osteoclast progenitors and bone marrow
stromal/osteoblastic support cells. Based on this, we hypothesized that
osteopontin, an adhesion protein produced by osteoclasts and
osteoblasts, plays a role in osteoclastogenesis. Using in
situ hybridization, we demonstrate that cells expressing the
osteopontin messenger RNA (mRNA) appear after 3 days of culturing
murine bone marrow cells. The number of these cells increases
thereafter, reaching a peak on day 5. In the same cultures, cells
expressing alkaline phosphatase (AP) or tartrate resistant acid
phosphatase (TRAP), phenotypic markers for osteoblastic and
osteoclast-like cells, respectively, appeared subsequent to the
appearance of the osteopontin-positive cells. By means of a combination
of in situ hybridization and histostaining, it was shown
that the osteopontin mRNA was localized in 3050% of the AP-positive
or the TRAP-positive, as well as in nonspecific esterase
(NSE)-positive, cells. The number of cells expressing both the
osteopontin mRNA and either one of the three phenotypic markers was
significantly increased in bone marrow cultures from estrogen-deficient
mice, as compared with controls. Conversely, the number of all three
populations of double positive cells was decreased in cultures treated
with a specific antimouse rabbit osteopontin antibody or an RGD
peptide. These findings indicate that osteopontin is expressed during
the early stages of the differentiation of osteoclast and osteoblast
progenitors in the bone marrow and that its cell adhesion properties
are required for osteoclastogenesis.
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Introduction
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CELLS OF THE bone marrow
stromal/osteoblastic lineage are essential to the development of
osteoclasts from their hematopoietic precursors. Earlier work from our
group and others has revealed that this dependency is due, in part, to
stromal/osteoblastic cell production of cytokines and other growth
factors that promote osteoclast development, such as interleukin-6
(IL-6) (1, 2, 3), IL-11 (4), M-CSF (5), and the third component of
complement (6, 7). Yet, osteoclast development cannot be accomplished
without direct cell-to-cell contact between stromal/osteoblastic
support cells and osteoclast precursors (8, 9, 10). This evidence suggests
strongly that adhesion molecules must be part of the reason why
osteoclastogenesis is dependent on support cells. However, there has
been no previous direct evidence that adhesion molecules are involved
in the process of osteoclast development in the bone marrow.
Osteopontin, a noncollagenous phosphoprotein, contains an RGD
tripeptide identical to that in fibronectin, vitronectin, osteonectin,
and fibrinogen (11, 12). Based on this, it is thought that like the
rest of these proteins, osteopontin may be involved in cell-to-cell and
cell-matrix interactions (13, 14) during cell proliferation and cell
migration. Osteopontin was originally isolated from bone matrix (15).
Subsequent studies demonstrated expression of this protein in various
cells and tissues, including osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and macrophages
(11). During early stages of embryonic life, osteopontin expression is
very low, but it increases progressively during development (16, 17),
reaching a peak in calvaria and tibiae at 414 days postpartum (16, 18). This progressive increase parallels the increase of several other
proteins, including alkaline phosphatase (AP) and osteocalcin.
In the adult rat and human skeletons, osteopontin is localized in sites
of bone formation as well as in sites of bone resorption (19, 20, 21, 22).
Specifically, the protein has been demonstrated in cement lines,
mineralized bone matrix during endochondral and intramembranous
ossification, cartilage matrix, and osteoclastic resorption lacunae.
Based on this, we have hypothesized that osteopontin plays a role in
osteoclast and perhaps osteoblast development in the bone marrow;
therefore its expression must be up-regulated in states where these
processes are up-regulated, such as estrogen deficiency (23). Because
osteopontin is a secreted protein, to identify its cellular origin in
heterogenous bone marrow cell cultures, we examined osteopontin
messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by in situ hybridization. We
present evidence that the osteopontin mRNA is expressed during the
differentiation of at least three distinct populations of bone marrow
cells: stromal/osteoblast-like cells, osteoclast-like cells, and
macrophage-like cells. Moreover, osteopontin seems to be critical for
osteoclastogenesis, as an antiosteopontin antibody or an RGD-containing
peptide inhibit this process.
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Materials and Methods
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Chemicals
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3
[1,25-(OH)2D3] was generously provided by Dr.
Milan Uskokovic, Hoffman-LaRoche (Nutley, NJ). Antiosteopontin
polyclonal antibody was a gift from Dr. David T. Denhardt of the State
University of New Jersey (Piscataway, NJ). Mouse osteopontin
complementary DNA (cDNA) was kindly provided by Dr. S. Nomura, of Osaka
University, Japan. Deoxycytidine 5'-[
-32P]
triphosphate (3000 Ci/mmol) was purchased from Amersham (Arlington
Heights, IL). Peptides (GRGDS and GRGES) were
purchased from American Peptide Company (Sunnyvale, CA).
Cell preparations and culture conditions
Swiss Webster mice (6-week-old male or 60-day-old female),
maintained in accordance with the NIH Guidelines for Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals, were killed by cervical dislocation, and femurs and
tibiae were aseptically removed and dissected free of adherent tissue.
Both ends of the bone were cut, and the bone cavity was flushed out
with culture medium slowly injected at the end of the bone using a
sterile 27-gauge needle. Bone marrow cells were subsequently
resuspended (106 cells/ml) in phenol red free
-MEM
containing 10% heat-inactivated FCS (Sigma) and were maintained with
or without 10-8 M
1,25-(OH)2D3 for 7 days. Eighty percent of the
medium was replaced with fresh medium every 3 days.
In the experiments examining the effect of the antiosteopontin antibody
on osteoclast formation, a rabbit antimurine osteopontin antiserum
(antiosteopontin Ab) or nonimmune rabbit serum (NIRS) were used at
1/100 or 1/250 dilutions. Similarly, in the experiments examining
RGD-containing peptide, GRGDS or GRGES (negative
control) were used at 10-4 to 10-7
M. At the end of the culture (7 days), cells were fixed
with 10% neutralized formalin and then stained for either TRAP, NSE,
or AP. For the remaining experiments, 60-day-old female mice were
either sham-operated or ovariectomized (OVX), and bone marrow cells
were obtained 2 weeks after the operation. Bone marrow cells were then
seeded in 75 cm2 flasks for Northern blot analysis or in
four-chamber slide glass for in situ hybridization (Nunc
Inc., Nashville, TN).
Northern blot analysis
Total RNA was extracted from freshly isolated bone marrow cells
or from bone marrow cells cultured for 7 days using Ultraspec RNA
(Biotecx Lab. Inc., Houston, TX). Total RNA (20 µg) was
electrophoresed on a 1% agarose gel, transferred to a nylon membrane
(Hybond N+, Amersham), and the blot was hybridized with
either a 32P-labeled full-length osteopontin cDNA probe or
the housekeeping control gene glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
(GAPDH) cDNA. The cDNA probe for murine GAPDH (987 bp), used as a
control in these experiments, was amplified by PCR from cultured murine
bone marrow cells using 5'-TGAAGGTCGGTGTGAACGGATTTGGC and
5'-CATGTAGGCCATGAGGTCCACCAC as the forward and reverse primers,
respectively. Both cDNAs were labeled using the Random Primed DNA
labeling kit (Boehringer-Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany) according to the
manufacturers protocol. The amount of osteopontin mRNA and GAPDH mRNA
was quantified using a PhosphorImager (Molecular Dynamics, Sunnyvale,
CA).
Combination of histostaining and in situ hybridization
Cell fixation and histostaining. After 3, 5, or 7 days of
culture, bone marrow cells from either sham-operated or OVX mice were
washed with calcium-free PBS [PBS(-), treated with 0.1% diethyl
pyrocarbonate (DEPC) (Sigma)]. Subsequently, the cells were fixed with
4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M DEPC-treated phosphate
buffer, pH 7.4, for 60 min at 4 C. Fixed cells were washed with PBS(-)
three times, and subsequently stained for TRAP or NSE using a Sigma
diagnostic kit, or for AP using an AP substrate kit I (Vector
Laboratories, Burlingame, CA). Stained cells were washed with PBS(-),
then soaked in 0.2 N HCl for 20 min at room temperature.
After this step, cells were subjected to three washes: first, with
DEPC-treated water; second, with 2x SSC; and finally, with PBS(-). At
this stage, the cells were digested in 2 µg/ml proteinase K in 10
mM Tris buffer (pH 8.0) for 10 min at 37 C, fixed again in
4% paraformaldehyde for 30 min at 4 C, washed 3 times with PBS(-),
and dehydrated sequentially with 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100%
ethanol.
In situ hybridization. Digoxigenin RNA probes were prepared
from a plasmid containing the entire murine osteopontin cDNA (1.3 kb).
The plasmid was either linearized with BamHI and transcribed
with SP6 RNA polymerase to generate an antisense probe or linearized
with NheI and transcribed with T7 RNA polymerase to generate
a sense probe. The linearized cDNA (1.3 kb) was subsequently purified
by phenol/chloroform. Digoxigenin-labeled RNA was synthesized using an
RNA labeling kit (Boehringer-Mannheim). For hybridization, 3 µg/ml of
digoxigenin-labeled RNA probe was dissolved in hybridization buffer
containing 50% formamide, 1 mg/ml transfer RNA, 20 mM Tris
(pH 8.0), 2.5 mM EDTA (pH 8.0), 1x Denhardts solution,
0.3 M NaCl, and 10% dextran sulfate. The mixture was
heated at 90 C for 10 min and then cooled on ice to linearize RNA. The
hybridization buffer (50 µl) was then applied to each chamber of a
4-chamber glass slide. The slides were covered with sterile
silicon-coated glass cover slips (Sigmacoat, Sigma) to prevent
evaporation and kept at 50 C overnight in a humidifier. After the
overnight incubation, the slides were dipped into warmed (50 C) 5x SSC
to gently remove the cover slips. The slides were then washed with 2x
SSC for 30 min containing 50% formamide. This step was followed by a
second 10-min wash at 37 C using a TNE buffer (10 mM Tris,
1 mM EDTA and 500 mM NaCl, pH 7.6). The slides
were then treated with 5 µg/ml RNase A in TNE buffer for 30 min to
remove nonspecific hybridizing probe. After another wash in TNE buffer
for 10 min at 37 C, more stringent washes in 2x SSC at 50 C for 20 min
and 0.2x SSC at 50 C for 20 min were performed to remove any residual
nonspecific binding. Messenger RNA hybridized to digoxigenin-labeled
antisense probe was detected with AP-conjugated antidigoxigenin
antibody and visualized with NBT and BCIP (DIG nucleic acid detection
kit, Boehringer-Mannheim) after soaking in 1% blocking reagent for 30
min at room temperature. Cells expressing osteopontin mRNA stained dark
purple. No staining was detected when a 1.3-kb sense probe (negative
control) was used. Cells expressing osteopontin and/or staining
positive for either AP, TRAP (only those containing over 3 nuclei), or
NSE were counted under a light microscope using 200x magnification. A
total of five fields containing 200300 cells per field were randomly
selected and analyzed by two different observers, neither of whom knew
the identity of the sample.
Statistics
Data are expressed as the mean ± SD from four
replicate cultures per experiment, with a minimum of three experiments
for each experimental condition. Differences between groups were
analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Students t test or the
Bonferroni test were used to estimate the levels of significances
between means.
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Results
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In an initial attempt to determine whether bone marrow cells
express osteopontin, total mRNA was prepared from freshly isolated bone
marrow cells, and the presence of the osteopontin transcript was
examined by Northern blot analysis. No osteopontin mRNA could be
detected in cells obtained from either sham or OVX animals 2 weeks
after the operation (data not shown). Because of the fact that freshly
isolated bone marrow cells contain progenitors that can proliferate and
undergo differentiation toward the osteoclast or osteoblast phenotype
under appropriate conditions, we proceeded to utilize cultures of
marrow cells. The osteopontin transcript was detected in bone marrow
cells (obtained from either group of animals) upon culturing them for 7
days (Fig. 1
). In culture maintained in the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3, a potent prodifferentiation
agent, the abundance of this mRNA increased. Moreover, the abundance of
osteopontin mRNA in four separate experiments was consistently greater
in bone marrow cell cultures from OVX mice compared with sham-operated
controls. The mean increase, however, was small (1.2-fold) and
statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). In view of
these results, we suspected that the small but consistent increases in
osteopontin mRNA in bone marrow from estrogen deficient mice could be
due to the fact that only a subset of cells in these heterogenous cell
preparations expressed osteopontin. Therefore, for further analysis of
osteopontin mRNA expression in bone marrow cell cultures, we employed
in situ hybridization alone or in combination with
histostaining.

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Figure 1. Northern blot analysis of osteopontin mRNA in
cultured bone marrow cells. Murine bone marrow cells, prepared from
either sham or OVX mice, 14 days after the operation, were cultured in
phenol red free -MEM containing 10% FCS either in the presence or
absence of 10-8 M
1,25-(OH)2D3 at 106/ml in 75
cm2 flasks. After 7 days of culture, total RNA was isolated
using Ultraspec RNA, and 20 µg of total RNA were electrophoresed on a
1% agarose gel. After transferring the RNA to a nylon membrane, the
blot was hybridized with either a 32P-labeled osteopontin
cDNA or GAPDH cDNA probe, a housekeeping gene (A). Equality of loading
in this experiment was monitored by the levels of ribosomal RNAs (18S
and 28S) shown in B. Lanes 1 to 4 correspond to the lanes of A. The
ratio of osteopontin mRNA vs. GAPDH mRNA was greater
(1.2-fold) in OVX mice as compared with sham-operated control mice
either in the absence or in the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 (A).
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Using in situ hybridization, we were able to determine that
osteopontin mRNA-expressing cells appeared on day 3 of culture and
their number increased subsequently, reaching a plateau by day 5 of the
7-day culture period. The presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 during these cultures did not
affect the number of the osteopontin mRNA-positive cells. However, the
total numbers of adherent cells decreased by day 7 in the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 (Fig. 2
).

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Figure 2. In situ hybridization of the
osteopontin mRNA in bone marrow cell cultures. Bone marrow cells from
normal mice were cultured in the presence or absence of
10-8 M 1,25-(OH)2D3 as
described in Fig. 1 , but in a tissue culture chamber glass slide with
four wells. After 3, 5, and 7 days in culture, bone marrow cells were
fixed and hybridized with the digoxigenin-labeled RNA probe at 50 C
overnight as described in the Materials and Methods
section. The osteopontin transcripts were visualized by digoxigenin
detection kit using NBT and BCIP. The number of cells expressing mRNA
for osteopontin to total cells were counted in randomly selected
fields. Bars represent the means (± SD) of
three experiments. There were no osteopontin-expressing cells in
freshly isolated bone marrow cells. +, Significantly different from the
cells cultured either in the absence or presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 for 3 days (P
< 0.05). *, Significantly different from the cells cultured in the
absence of 1,25-(OH)2D3 at the same culture
periods (P < 0.05).
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The total number of osteopontin-expressing cells in cultures from
sham-operated and OVX mice did not change either in the absence or
presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3 (data not shown).
However, the percentage of osteopontin mRNA-expressing cells was
significantly greater in ex vivo bone marrow cell cultures
from OVX mice compared with sham controls; independent of whether the
cultures were maintained in the presence or absence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 (Fig. 3
). In the
absence of 1,25-(OH)2D3, the percentage of
cells expressing osteopontin mRNA was significantly lower (14% sham
and 22% OVX) compared with the percentage of cells expressing the
osteopontin mRNA in the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 (20% sham, 30% OVX), most likely
due to the decrease of total cell numbers described in the results of
Fig. 2
.
The expression of TRAP or AP was monitored in parallel cultures using
histostaining. No cells staining for AP or TRAP were present on days 3
or 5. However, in cultures maintained for 7 days without
1,25-(OH)2D3, we were able to identify
AP-positive cells. No TRAP-positive cells could be detected in these
cultures, at the end of a 7-day period. In cultures maintained with
1,25-(OH)2D3 for 7 days, on the other hand, we
were able to identify TRAP-positive, but not AP-positive cells.
Macrophage-like cells (NSE-positive) appeared after 3 days of culture
both in the absence or presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3, but their number was higher under
the latter condition after 7 days. In cultures from sham operated mice
maintained for 7 days without 1,25-(OH)2D3, the
TRAP-, AP-, or NSE-positive cells represented 1%, 12%, or 32%,
respectively, of the total cell number; these percentages were changed
to 7%, 1%, or 45%, respectively, when the cultures were maintained
in the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Based on these
findings, in subsequent experiments bone marrow cell preparations from
sham or OVX mice were cultured for 7 days in the presence or absence of
1,25-(OH)2D3, and then osteopontin mRNA
expression was analyzed by in situ hybridization (Fig. 4
). The presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3
decreased the number of AP-positive cells but increased the number of
TRAP-positive and NSE-positive cells, independent of whether the
animals were sham-operated or ovariectomized. However, there was a
larger increase in TRAP-positive cells in OVX compared with
sham-operated animals. This was not the case with AP-positive or
NSE-positive cells. In experiments not shown here, we added 17-ß
estradiol (10-10 to 10-6 M) to
bone marrow cultures from ovariectomized mice and found no change in
the number of TRAP-positive cells formed in culture (control, 50
± 5/well; 10-6 M 17-ß estradiol, 48 ±
11/well).

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Figure 4. Quantification of AP-positive, TRAP-positive, or
NSE-positive cells in bone marrow cell cultures. Bone marrow cells from
sham or OVX mice were cultured in the presence or absence of
10-8 M 1,25-(OH)2D3 as
described in Fig. 2 . After 7 days, cells were fixed and stained for
alkaline phosphatase (AP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP),
or nonspecific esterase (NSE), to identify osteoclast-like,
macrophage-like or osteoblast-like cells, respectively. In this
experiment, only TRAP (+) multinucleated cells containing over three
nuclei were counted. The percentage of cells staining or each cell type
was quantified after counting at least 1,000 cells in randomly selected
fields. Bars represent the means (± SD) of
four experiments.
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Results of experiments employing a combination of in situ
hybridization and histostaining are shown in Figs. 5
and 6
. Osteopontin mRNA expression, together with AP, TRAP,
or NSE staining, was seen in the same cells. A representative
microphotograph of cells expressing osteopontin mRNA along with either
one of the three markers is depicted in Fig. 5
. Interestingly, only a
fraction (3050%) of all AP-positive, TRAP-positive, or NSE-positive
cells expressed osteopontin mRNA. The percentage of mononucleated
TRAP-positive expressing osteopontin was very similar to the percentage
of the multinucleated TRAP-positive cells expressing osteopontin. In
view of the evidence that the AP and TRAP appear later in these
cultures (after day 5) than osteopontin mRNA (day 3), these results
suggest that osteopontin mRNA expression is an early occurrence during
osteoclastic and osteoblastic cell differentiation. As in the case of
histostaining alone, staining of cells for osteopontin mRNA by in
situ hybridization in combination with histostaining for the
phenotypic markers revealed that the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 decreased the number of
osteopontin-positive/AP-positive cells, whereas it increased the number
of osteopontin-positive/TRAP-positive or
osteopontin-positive/NSE-positive cells. However, the combination of
the in situ hybridization and the histostaining techniques
revealed that ovariectomy caused an increase in the numbers of all
three subsets of cells, i.e. AP-positive cells expressing
osteopontin mRNA in the absence of 1,25-(OH)2D3
and TRAP-positive and NSE-positive cells expressing osteopontin mRNA in
the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3.

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Figure 5. Combination of osteopontin mRNA stains by
in situ hybridization with histostaining. Bone marrow
cells were cultured for 7 days in the presence or absence of
10-8 M 1,25-(OH)2D3 as
described in Fig. 2 and cells expressing osteopontin mRNA were
identified by combination of in situ hybridization and
histostaining. The left panel shows the result in the
absence of 1,25-(OH)2D3 and the
middle and the right panels show the results
in the presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3. By
histostaining, osteoblasts (AP) were stained red,
osteoclasts (TRAP) were stained red, and macrophages
(NSE) were dark green. Osteopontin mRNA (OP) was
identified as dark purple staining by in situ
hybridization. Magnification, 240x. Inserts show cells expressing both
OP mRNA and AP, or TRAP, or NSE (magnification, 480x).
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Figure 6. Quantification of cells expressing both
osteopontin mRNA and either AP, TRAP, or NSE staining. Bone marrow
cells from sham or OVX mice were cultured for 7 days in the presence or
absence of 10-8 M
1,25-(OH)2D3 and determined the number of
expressing both osteopontin mRNA (OP+) and alkaline
phosphatase (AP+), or TRAPase, or NSE by in
situ hybridization and histostaining. Bars
represent the means (± SD) of three experiments.
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To ascertain the biological significance of osteopontin expression in
bone marrow cells, we employed an antiosteopontin antibody and examined
its effects on osteoclast development in bone marrow cell cultures
(Figs. 7
and 8
). As seen in Fig. 7A
, in
contrast to cultures receiving nonimmune rabbit serum (NIRS), cultures
treated with the antiosteopontin antibody (1/250 and 1/100 dilutions)
exhibited decreased formation of osteoclast-like cells, identified as
multinucleated cells staining positive for TRAP. Whereas the number of
osteoclast-like cells was indistinguishable between cultures treated
with vehicle or with NIRS, cultures treated with 1/250 dilution of the
antiosteopontin antibody exhibited more than 50% reduction in the
number of osteoclastic cells formed. This effect appeared to be
dilution dependent, as lower dilution of the antiosteopontin antibody
(1/100) decreased the number of osteoclast-like cells even further. At
the lower dilution (1/100), NIRS had an inhibiting effect on osteoclast
formation, suggesting the presence of an inhibitory factor for
osteoclast development in rabbit serum. However, the specificity of the
antiosteopontin antibody was indicated by its effectiveness at a
dilution at which the NIRS was ineffective. As shown in Fig. 7B
, an
inhibitory effect of the antiosteopontin antibody was also found in
macrophage-like cells (identified by their ability to express NSE).

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Figure 7. Suppression of osteoclast and macrophage formation
by an antiosteopontin antibody. Bone marrow cells from normal mice were
cultured for 7 days in the presence of 10-8 M
1,25-(OH)2D3 with nonimmune rabbit serum (NIRS)
or antiosteopontin antibody (Anti-OP Ab) at a dilution 1/100 or 1/250
and stained for TRAP or NSE. A, Number of TRAP(+) multinucleated cells
(osteoclast-like cells); B, number of NSE(+) (macrophage-like cells)
cells. Bars represent the means (± SD) of
three independent experiments. *, Significantly different from the
cells cultured in the absence of NIRS or anti-OP Ab
(P < 0.05). +, Significantly different from the
cells cultured in the presence of NIRS at the same dilution
(P < 0.05).
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Figure 8. Inhibition of osteoclast formation by adding an
antiosteopontin antibody in different stages of culture. Bone marrow
cells from normal mice were cultured for 7 days in the presence of
10-8 M 1,25-(OH)2D3.
Anti-OP Ab at a dilution 1/250 was added in different periods in
culture, days 07, 03, 35, or 57, and cells were stained for
TRAP. Only TRAP(+) multinucleated cells containing over 3 nuclei were
counted. Bars represent the means (± SD) of
three experiments. *, Significantly different from the TRAP(+) cells in
the absence of anti-OP Ab (P < 0.05).
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In a different experiment, we examined whether osteopontin expression
was required for osteoclast-like cell formation during particular
stages of the bone marrow cell cultures (Fig. 8
). When the antibody was
present during the entire period of culture (days 07), there was
inhibition of the numbers of TRAP-positive multinucleated cells. The
extent of such inhibition was similar in cultures exposed to the
antibody during days 35. Significant inhibition was also seen when
the antibody was present from days 03; however, it was smaller than
that seen in cultures treated with the antibody during days 35. The
greater effectiveness of the antiosteopontin antibody during the early
stages of the culture is consistent with the time course of osteopontin
mRNA expression.
Finally, in view of the possibility that osteopontin affects
osteoclastogenesis because of its ability to influence cell to cell
contact through RGD sequences, we examined the effect of RGD (or
control) peptide addition in our bone marrow cultures for independent
confirmation of the observations with the osteopontin antibody. As
shown in Fig. 9A
, at 10-4 M the
RGD peptide significantly inhibited osteoclast formation, whereas the
RGE peptide (negative control) did not. RGD or RGE peptides at
concentrations as high as 10-4 M had no effect
on cell viability as evidenced by trypan blue exclusion examination.
The effective concentration (10-4 M) of the
RGD peptide was not different from that required to prevent the
attachment of mature osteoclasts to precoated matrix proteins
(osteopontin, bone sialoprotein, fibronectin) on culture dishes (24, 25). The inhibition of osteoclast formation by RGD peptide was more
pronounced when the peptide was present during the entire period (days
07), compared with when the peptide was added at the early stages
(days 03) or intermediate and late stages (days 37), of the culture
(Fig. 9B
).

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Figure 9. Inhibition of osteoclast formation by RGD peptide.
Bone marrow cells were cultured for 7 days in the presence of
10-8 M 1,25-(OH)2D3
and 10-4 to 10-7 M GRGDS (RGD) or
GRGES (RGE) peptide and stained for TRAP for osteoclast-like cell
formation. A, Increasing concentrations (10-4 to
10-7 M) of RGD and RGE peptides were added for
7 days and multinucleated TRAP(+) cells were counted. B,
10-4 M peptides were added in different
culture period during the 7 day. TRAPase was stained on day 7 and
multinucleated TRAP(+) cells were counted. Bars
represent the means (± SD) of multinucleated TRAP(+) cells
in three separate experiments. * Significantly different from cells
cultured in the absence of peptides (P < 0.05).
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Discussion
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In these studies, we have employed in situ
hybridization in an attempt to track the expression of the adhesion
molecule osteopontin during the differentiation of murine bone marrow
cells. Our results demonstrate that, whereas freshly isolated bone
marrow cells do not express osteopontin, cells expressing osteopontin
mRNA appear after 3 days of culture of bone marrow cells, and their
number increase thereafter, reaching a peak before the appearance of
cells expressing AP and TRAP. Bone marrow cell aspirates contain
primarily early mesenchymal and hematopoietic progenitors. Hence,
osteopontin expression, as well as the expression of AP-positive and
TRAP-positive cells in vivo, must be occurring in cells at
more advanced stages of differentiation, as compared with the cells
represented in the fresh bone marrow aspirates.
Using a combination of in situ hybridization and
histochemistry, we were able to localize osteopontin expression within
particular cell subtypes present in murine bone marrow cell cultures.
Specifically, we determined that osteopontin is expressed by at least
three different cell subtypes: TRAP-positive, AP-positive, and
NSE-positive cells. TRAP is a specific and fairly reliable phenotypic
markers of preosteoclasts and osteoclasts, especially when combined
with multinucleation. As AP is the only available marker for cells of
the stromal/osteoblastic lineage, we have used this enzyme as a
putative marker for these cells. Nonetheless, we are quick to point out
that several other cells of the bone marrow, such as leukocytes and
preadipocytes, also express AP. Hence, the identity of the AP-positive
cells in these experiments is assumed. Be that as it may, based on AP
expression in combination with the morphologic features of the
AP-positive cells, we are led to believe that the majority of the
AP-positive cells represent bone marrow stromal/osteoblastic cells.
Based on the fact that NSE-positive cells express C3 receptors staining
with Mac-1 and Mac-2 antibodies, it is safe to suggest that
NSE-positive cells are most likely macrophage precursors (26).
NSE-positive cells appeared at the third day of culture, and their
percentage reached 4050% of the total cell number at the end of 7
days. In view of evidence that both macrophages and osteoclast-like
TRAP-positive cells are derived from common precursors that stained
positive for NSE (26), the appearance of NSE-positive cells early in
our culture is consistent with the notion that osteoclast
differentiation may be already in progress at 3 days. Among the
AP-positive, TRAP-positive, or NSE-positive cell populations, only
30%50% expressed osteopontin mRNA. However, osteopontin mRNA was
expressed earlier than AP or TRAP-positive cells.
The absolute number of osteopontin-expressing cells was not affected by
1,25-(OH)2D3, even though the percentage of
osteopontin-positive cells was increased in the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 as a result of a decrease in the
total number of adherent cells (Figs. 2
and 3
). Hence, it seems that,
unlike the case in other cell types (27, 28),
1,25-(OH)2D3 may not regulate the expression of
osteopontin in bone marrow cell progenitors.
Increases in resorption, as well as formation, in bone remodeling are
well established features of estrogen deficiency in rodents and humans
(2). The former, of course, exceeds the latter, thus causing loss of
bone. We have reported elsewhere that ovariectomy in mice causes not
only up-regulation of osteoclastogenesis but also an increase in the
number of osteoblast progenitors in the bone marrow, and that the
latter change is temporally associated with increased bone formation,
as measured by changes in serum osteocalcin (29). In the present
studies, we found that ovariectomy up-regulated the number of cells
expressing TRAP alone or TRAP in combination with osteopontin. In
addition, ovariectomy caused an increase in the number of AP-positive
cells that coexpressed osteopontin. Furthermore, NSE-positive cells
coexpressing osteopontin were more numerous in bone marrow cultures
from OVX animals compared with sham-operated animals. The results of
our earlier report (29) are in full agreement with the above-mentioned
observations and add strength to the contention that OVX up-regulates
both osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis. The findings of the
present studies are also in agreement with in vivo studies
indicating that osteopontin mRNA expression is increased in
osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes in metaphysical trabecular
bone after ovariectomy (30). The present results, taken together with
the rest of the available evidence, strongly suggest that loss of
ovarian function promotes differentiation of bone marrow cells,
resulting, among other changes, in increased expression of
osteopontin.
The demonstration of increased expression of a gene after loss of
estrogen could be either a direct consequence of the removal of an
inhibitory effect of the hormone on this particular gene or a secondary
event caused by an increase in the number of cells that express this
gene. In line with the former scenario, we and others have demonstrated
that sex steroids directly suppress the expression of the IL-6 and the
gp80 and gp130 subunits of the IL-6 receptor and that ovariectomy
causes an increase in the expression of all of these three genes, as
determined on an individual cell basis using in situ RT-PCR
(31). Because of lack of evidence that estrogen regulates the
osteopontin gene directly, the present observation that ovariectomy
increases the number of osteopontin-expressing cells is consistent with
the latter scenario. Further, the finding that the increased number of
TRAP-positive cells in bone marrow cultures after ovariectomy was not
reversed by adding estrogen back into the in vitro cultures,
suggests that estrogen deficiency must have caused irreversible
commitment of progenitors to the osteoclast differentiation
pathway.
The exact nature of the contact mediated by osteopontin in the bone
marrow is only a matter of conjecture at this stage. Nonetheless, it is
likely that osteopontin facilitates the attachment of cells to matrix
substances, as well as to other cells, and that its ability to
facilitate interactions between stromal/osteoblastic cells and
hematopoietic osteoclast precursors is responsible for the observation
that neutralization of osteopontin decreases osteoclast and macrophage
development. Osteopontin contains RGD sequences required for
interaction with the
vß3 integrin family of receptors (such as
vitronectin receptors) that are expressed in osteoclasts (32, 33, 34).
Osteoclast attachment to glass surfaces precoated with osteopontin,
bone sialoprotein, or fibronectin is inhibited by RGD-containing
proteins, such as vitronectin or echistatin. The evidence that an
RGD-containing peptide inhibited osteoclast formation suggests that
osteopontin plays a role in the development of osteoclasts. Of course,
our findings do not rule out the possibility that several other
adhesion proteins (e.g. bone sialoprotein or fibronectin,
which also contain the RGD sequence) play also a role in the process of
osteoclast development.
How osteopontin can influence osteoclast development is only a matter
of conjecture. Nonetheless, it is possible that osteopontin by
mediating cell-to-cell contact between stromal/osteoblastic cells and
osteoclast progenitors, facilitates osteoclast differentiation by
enhancing the support provided by stromal/osteoblastic cells.
Alternatively, osteopontin may act to potentiate the action of
paracrine cytokines produced by stromal/osteoblastic cells that in turn
serve to promote proliferation or differentiation of the hematopoietic
precursors. The first possibility is supported by the evidence that the
formation of stromal/osteoblastic cells was decreased in the presence
of the antiosteopontin antibody. Specifically, the antiosteopontin
antibody (at 1/250 dilution) significantly decreased the formation of
large size colonies of stromal/osteoblast-like cells in the presence of
1,25-(OH)2D3 (data not shown), raising the
possibility that osteopontin may affect their proliferation. The second
possibility (i.e. osteopontin enhances the action of
autocrine cytokines), is supported by evidence that cell-to-cell
contact is essential for the action of paracrine factors anchored to
matrices on the surface of cells, such as M-CSF and GM-CSF (35, 36), as
both these cytokines exert their actions while anchored to the cell
membrane, as opposed to being released from the cells in a soluble
form. Finally, the idea that osteopontin-mediated cell-to-cell contact
influences the function of other molecules is supported by recent
evidence that osteopontin recognizes the CD44 molecule expressed on the
surface of lymphocytes (37) and osteoclasts (38), thereby inducing
CD44-dependent chemotactic activity, which does not involve the actions
of integrins. CD44 is expressed not only in osteoclasts but also in
stromal/osteoblastic cells in bone marrow cultures, and an anti-CD44
antibody inhibits generation of TRAP-positive osteoclast-like cells
(39). Thus, the interaction of osteopontin with CD44 may prove as
important for osteoclast development as the
vß3 integrin mediated
cell-to-cell interactions.
In conclusion, the evidence presented in this paper provides direct
demonstration that an adhesion molecule, osteopontin, is involved in
the process of osteoclast and, perhaps, osteoblast progenitor
differentiation in the bone marrow: and that it may be in fact required
for the former process. In addition, the results of these studies with
bone marrow cultures from ovariectomized mice add strength to the
contention that loss of ovarian function up-regulates the
differentiation of early osteoclast as well as osteoblast progenitors
in the bone marrow.
 |
Acknowledgments
|
|---|
The authors wish to thank Drs. A. M. Parfitt, and R. L. Jilka
for helpful discussions; Dr. David T. Denhardt for providing the
antiosteopontin antibody, the ACRC Office of Scientific Publications at
UAMS and M. Harrelson for help in the preparation of this
manuscript.
 |
Footnotes
|
|---|
1 This work was supported by NIH (PO1: AG-139181, AR-41313) and the
Department of Veterans Affairs. 
Received January 13, 1997.
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