RESEARCH - Osteoclasts, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoimmunology

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Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2006 Jul;18(4):419-426.

Osteoclasts, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoimmunology.

Sato K, Takayanagi H.

Department of Cell Signaling, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental

University, Japan bSolution Oriented Research for Science and Technology

(SORST), Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan cCenter of Excellence

Program for Frontier Research on Molecular Destruction and Reconstruction of

Tooth and Bone, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Osteoclasts are terminally differentiated cells of the

monocyte/macrophage lineage that resorb bone matrix. Bone destruction in

rheumatoid arthritis is mainly attributable to the abnormal activation of

osteoclasts, and studies on activation of osteoclasts by the immune system

have led to the new research field called osteoimmunology. This

interdisciplinary field is very important to biologic research and to the

treatment of diseases associated with the bone and immune systems. RECENT

FINDINGS: The T-cell-mediated regulation of osteoclast differentiation is

dependent on cytokines and membrane-bound factors expressed by T cells. The

cross-talk between receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand and

inteferon-gamma has been shown to be crucial for the regulation of

osteoclast formation in arthritic joints. Recent studies indicate that an

increasing number of immunomodulatory factors are associated with the

regulation of bone metabolism: nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 has

been shown to be the key transcription factor for osteoclastogenesis, the

activation of which requires calcium signaling induced by the

immunoglobulin-like receptors.

SUMMARY: New findings in osteoimmunology will be instrumental in the

development of strategies for research into the treatment of various

diseases afflicting the skeletal and immune systems.

PMID: 16763464

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=1\

6763464

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