Gamma interferon positively modulates Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans-specific RANKL+ CD4+ Th-cell-mediated alveolar bone destruction in vivo

Transcriptional activation of MMP-13 by periodontal pathogenic LPS requires p38 MAP kinase

Matrix metalloprotease-13 (MMP-13) is induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines and increased expression is associated with a number of pathological conditions such as tumor metastasis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal diseases. MMP-13 gene regulation and the signal transduction pathways activated in response to bacterial LPS are largely unknown. In these studies, the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways in the regulation of MMP-13 induced by lipopolysaccharide was investigated. Lipopolysaccharide from Escherichia coli and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans significantly (P < 0.05) increased MMP-13 steady-state mRNA (average of 27% and 46% increase, respectively) in murine periodontal ligament fibroblasts. MMP-13 mRNA induction was significantly reduced by inhibition of p38 MAP kinase. Immunoblot analysis indicated that p38 signaling was required for LPS-induced MMP-13 expression. Lipopolysaccharide induced proximal promoter reporter (-660/+32 mMMP-13) gene activity required p38 signaling. Collectively, these results indicate that lipopolysaccharide-induced murine MMP-13 is regulated by p38 signaling through a transcriptional mechanism.

Smoking modulates interferon-gamma expression in the gingival tissue of patients with chronic periodontitis

Although interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) plays a critical role in periodontitis, no information is available regarding the effect of smoking on this cytokine in the periodontium. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of smoking on the IFN-gamma levels in gingival tissue from patients with chronic periodontitis. Sixty-two patients were assigned to three groups: healthy [non-smoking and periodontally healthy individuals (probing depth <or= 3 mm and no bleeding on probing; n = 12)]; periodontitis [non-smokers clinically diagnosed with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis (probing depth >or= 5 mm and bleeding on probing; n = 25)]; and smoking [smokers (>or= 1 pack/day for at least 10 yr) diagnosed with chronic periodontitis (n = 25)]. Gingival biopsies were analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Regardless of smoking status, diseased patients presented higher levels of IFN-gamma than peridontally healthy patients. In sites with comparable types of periodontitis, smoking increased both protein and mRNA levels of IFN-gamma in gingival tissue. Within the limits of this study, it can be concluded that modulation of periodontal tissue destruction by smoking may involve its effect on IFN-gamma production.

IFN-gamma stimulates osteoclast formation and bone loss in vivo via antigen-driven T cell activation

T cell-produced cytokines play a pivotal role in the bone loss caused by inflammation, infection, and estrogen deficiency. IFN-gamma is a major product of activated T helper cells that can function as a pro- or antiresorptive cytokine, but the reason why IFN-gamma has variable effects in bone is unknown. Here we show that IFN-gamma blunts osteoclast formation through direct targeting of osteoclast precursors but indirectly stimulates osteoclast formation and promotes bone resorption by stimulating antigen-dependent T cell activation and T cell secretion of the osteoclastogenic factors RANKL and TNF-alpha. Analysis of the in vivo effects of IFN-gamma in 3 mouse models of bone loss - ovariectomy, LPS injection, and inflammation via silencing of TGF-beta signaling in T cells - reveals that the net effect of IFN-gamma in these conditions is that of stimulating bone resorption and bone loss. In summary, IFN-gamma has both direct anti-osteoclastogenic and indirect pro-osteoclastogenic properties in vivo. Under conditions of estrogen deficiency, infection, and inflammation, the net balance of these 2 opposing forces is biased toward bone resorption. Inhibition of IFN-gamma signaling may thus represent a novel strategy to simultaneously reduce inflammation and bone loss in common forms of osteoporosis.

Activated T lymphocytes suppress osteoclastogenesis by diverting early monocyte/macrophage progenitor lineage commitment towards dendritic cell differentiation through down-regulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB and c-Fos

Activated T lymphocytes either stimulate or inhibit osteoclastogenesis from haematopoietic progenitors in different experimental models. To address this controversy, we used several modes of T lymphocyte activation in osteoclast differentiation--mitogen-pulse, anti-CD3/CD28 stimulation and in vivo and in vitro alloactivation. Osteoclast-like cells were generated from non-adherent immature haematopoietic monocyte/macrophage progenitors in murine bone-marrow in the presence of receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and monocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). All modes of in vivo and in vitro T lymphocyte activation and both CD4(+) and CD8(+) subpopulations produced similar inhibitory effects on osteoclastogenesis paralleled by enhanced dendritic cell (DC) differentiation. Osteoclast-inhibitory effect was associated with T lymphocyte activation and not proliferation, and could be replaced by their culture supernatants. The stage of osteoclast differentiation was crucial for the inhibitory action of activated T lymphocytes on osteoclastogenesis, because the suppressive effect was visible only on early osteoclast progenitors but not on committed osteoclasts. Inhibition was associated specifically with increased granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) expression by the mechanism of progenitor commitment toward lineages other than osteoclast because activated T lymphocytes down-regulated RANK, CD115, c-Fos and calcitonin receptor expression, and increased differentiation towards CD11c-positive DC. An activated T lymphocyte inhibitory role in osteoclastogenesis, confirmed in vitro and in vivo, mediated through GM-CSF release, may be used to counteract activated bone resorption mediated by T lymphocyte-derived cytokines in inflammatory and immune disorders. We also demonstrated the importance of alloactivation in osteoclast differentiation and the ability of cyclosporin A to abrogate T lymphocyte inhibition of osteoclastogenesis, thereby confirming the functional link between alloreaction and bone metabolism.

Evaluation of RANK/RANKL/OPG gene polymorphisms in aggressive periodontitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Aggressive periodontitis (AgP) is a specific type of periodontal disease that is characterized by rapid attachment loss and bone destruction. While attempting to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with AgP, previous research has focused on candidate genes that may be involved in immune responses to microbial infections. In this study, the focus was on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the key mediators of osteoclast differentiation and activation, which involve receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK), RANK ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegrin (OPG), in the Japanese population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of RANK/RANKL/OPG gene polymorphisms with AgP in the Japanese population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We examined 99 patients with AgP and 89 controls from the Japanese population to explore the possibility of RANK/RANKL/OPG loci as candidate regions associated with the disease. All exons and relevant exon-intron boundaries of these three candidate genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 19 primers, followed by direct sequencing. The polymorphisms were identified by comparing the sequences obtained from 48 subjects.

RESULTS

We identified 27 SNPs in RANK, including 10 novel SNPs and seven SNPs each in both RANKL and OPG. A pairwise linkage disequilibrium analysis using the r2 statistic showed that some SNP pairs from the three loci are in tight linkage disequilibrium.

CONCLUSION

An association analysis with allelotypes showed that SNPs identified in the RANK/RANKL/OPG genes have no significant association with AgP in the Japanese population.

Interleukin-10 inhibits gram-negative-microbe-specific human receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand-positive CD4+-Th1-cell-associated alveolar bone loss in vivo

To study anti-inflammatory cytokine effects on RANKL+-T-cell-mediated osteoclastogenesis in vivo, we injected human interleukin-10 (hIL-10) into pathogen-infected HuPBL-NOD/SCID mice. The results show significantly decreased RANKL+ Th1-associated alveolar bone loss and coexpression of human gamma interferon (hIFN-gamma) and human macrophage colony-stimulating factor, but not hIL-4, in RANKL+ Th cells compatible with those from successfully treated aggressive periodontitis subjects. Thus, there are critical cytokine interactions linking hIFN-gamma+ Th1 cells to RANKL-RANK/OPG signaling for periodontal osteoclastogenesis in vivo.

Balance of inflammatory response in stable gingivitis and progressive periodontitis lesions

The balance between inflammatory mediators and their counter-regulatory molecules may be crucial for determining the outcome of immune pathology of periodontal diseases. Based on clinical and immunological findings, the immune response in stable gingivitis lesion is supposed to be in balance, whereas the response is skewed towards the predominance of proinflammatory reactivity in progressive periodontitis lesion. However, this hypothesis has not been verified. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the gene expression profile of inflammatory mediators including proinflammatory cytokines and other inflammatory molecules, and anti-inflammatory cytokines by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in gingivitis and periodontitis lesions showing distinct clinical entities. For inflammatory mediators, interleukin (IL)-1beta, interferon (IFN)-gamma and receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB ligand tended to be higher in periodontitis, whereas tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-12 p40 showed no difference. Heat-shock protein 60 (HSP60) expression was up-regulated significantly in periodontitis. For anti-inflammatory cytokines, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 expression tended to be higher in periodontitis compared with gingivitis, whereas no difference was observed for IL-10 and IL-4. These findings support further our previous finding that autoimmune response to HSP60 may exert in periodontitis lesion, and suggest that perhaps subtle differences in the balance of cytokines may result in different disease expression.

Fos/AP-1 proteins in bone and the immune system

The skeleton and the immune system share a variety of different cytokines and transcription factors, thereby mutually influencing each other. These interactions are not confined to the bone marrow cavity where bone cells and hematopoietic cells exist in proximity but also occur at locations that are target sites for inflammatory bone diseases. The newly established research area termed 'osteoimmunology' attempts to unravel these skeletal/immunological relationships. Studies towards a molecular understanding of inflammatory bone diseases from an immunological as well as a bone-centered perspective have been very successful and led to the identification of several signaling pathways that are causally involved in inflammatory bone loss. Induction of receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB ligand (RANKL) signals by activated T cells and subsequent activation of the key transcription factors Fos/activator protein-1 (AP-1), NF-kappaB, and NF for activation of T cells c1 (NFATc1) are in the center of the signaling networks leading to osteoclast-mediated bone loss. Conversely, nature has employed the interferon system to antagonize excessive osteoclast differentiation, although this counteracting activity appears to be overruled under pathological conditions. Here, we focus on Fos/AP-1 functions in osteoimmunology, because this osteoclastogenic transcription factor plays a central role in inflammatory bone loss by regulating genes like NFATc1 as well as the interferon system. We also attempt to put potential therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bone diseases in perspective.