Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Communication between bone cells is important for the maintenance of bone mass. Although osteocytes are deeply embedded within the mineralized matrix, they are essential for the regulation of osteoblast and osteoclast functions. However, the intracellular proteins that control the morphology and function of osteocytes, and their ability to communicate with other bone cells are still unknown. Kalirin is a novel multi-domain GTP exchange factor (GEF) protein that activates the RhoGTPases. Recently, we found that 14 week old female Kalirin knockout (Kal-KO) mice exhibit a 45% decrease in trabecular bone density and have significantly lower cortical area, perimeter, thickness and polar cross-sectional moment of inertia (-12.6%, -7.2%, -7.6% and -21.9%, respectively) than WT mice. Kalirin was found to be expressed in osteoclasts and osteoblasts but its expression and function in osteocytes is currently unclear. We examined the role of Kalirin on the morphology and function of osteocytes. Primary osteocytes were isolated by sequential collagenase digestions from long bones (femurs and tibias) of 10-week old WT and Kal-KO mice. Immunofluorescent staining revealed Kalirin was localized to the perinuclear region of primary osteocytes and MLO-Y4 cells, and was detected along the cytoplasmic processes of primary osteocytes. We also examined primary osteocytes isolated from the long bones of Kal-KO and WT mice for changes in the length and number of cytoplasmic processes. Kal-KO osteocytes were found to express significantly fewer cytoplasmic processes per cell (3.3±0.21) than WT osteocytes (4.7±0.3). In addition, the cytoplasmic processes of Kal-KO osteocytes were shorter (79.5±4.6 µm) than those observed for WT osteocytes (85.4±3.6 µm) (p <0.01). Quantitative PCR revealed the expression of mRNA for the three major Kalirin isoforms (Kal-7, Kal-9, Kal-12) in primary osteocytes and in MLO-Y4 cells. Moreover, the mRNA levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and SOST, which are important for controlling osteoclast differentiation and Wnt signaling leading to bone formation, respectively, were reduced in Kal-KO osteocytes. Next, the role of Kalirin in osteocyte morphology and function was further examined. Treatment of MLO-Y4 cells for 5 days with nerve growth factor, which is known to activate Kalirin in neurons, or over-expression of the Ser-Thr kinase domain of Kal-12, promoted cytoplasmic process elongation and upregulated phosphorylated ERK and RhoA levels. Together, these results suggest that Kalirin controls osteocyte morphology and function in part by regulating cytoskeletal remodeling and the activity of ERK and RhoA. Furthermore, Kalirin may control the bone remodeling cycle by regulating osteocyte signaling to osteoclasts and osteoblasts.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Pyk2: Potential Regulator of Post-Menopausal Bone Loss H.W. LARGURA1,2*, P. ELENISTE2, S. HUANG2, S. LIU1, M. ALLEN3, A. BRUZZANITI2. 1Indiana University School of Dentistry Department Orthodontics and Oral Facial Development, 2Indiana University School of Dentistry Department of Oral Biology, 3Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Osteoporosis is a pathologic condition of bone, commonly found in post-menopausal women, which occurs from an imbalance between bone formation and resorption. Following menopause, the bone resorbing activity of osteoclasts exceeds bone formation by osteoblasts, resulting in decreased trabecular and cortical bone and a subsequent decrease in bone mass. Reduced bone mass increases the risk of pathologic fracture of bones. Due to adverse effects associated with current treatment protocols for bone loss, alternative treatment modalities with reduced adverse effects are needed. Estrogen plays a role in maintaining balance in the bone remodeling cycle by controlling remodeling activation, osteoblast and osteoclast numbers, and their respective effectiveness in formation and resorption. With declining estrogen levels, this elegantly balanced interaction is altered and bone resorption exceeds bone formation, resulting in bone loss and increased bone fragility. Pyk2 is a protein tyrosine kinase that plays an important role in regulating bone resorption by osteoclasts, as well as osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Deletion of the Pyk2 gene in mice leads to an increase in bone mass, in part due to dysfunctional osteoclast and osteoblast activity. In this study, we examined the role of Pyk2 in the effects of estrogen on bone mass. We used wild type (WT) and Pyk2 knock-out (KO) mice that had been ovariectomized (OVX) and treated with or without estrogen (E2)-releasing pellets. Control mice included sham OVX surgery receiving placebo pellet. We found that deletion of Pyk2 conferred increased bone mass in sham, OVX and OVX+E2 mice. In addition, Pyk2 KO mice supplemented with 17estradiol exhibited a marked increase in bone volume/trabecular volume, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness, but not cortical bone parameters compared to WT mice. Results of this study provide evidence for the role of Pyk2 in the effects of estrogen on bone mass. Understanding the role of Pyk2 in bone could lead to the development of new pharmaceutical targets for the treatment of bone loss associated with osteoporosis.