RANKL inhibition combined with tamoxifen treatment increases anti-tumor efficacy and prevents tumor-induced bone destruction in an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer bone metastasis model

Authors

Jude Canon, Rebecca Bryant, Martine Roudier, Daniel G. Branstetter and William C. Dougall

Abstract

Tumor cells in bone can induce the activation of osteoclasts, which mediate bone resorption and release of growth factors and calcium from the bone matrix, resulting in a cycle of tumor growth and bone breakdown. Targeting the bone microenvironment by the inhibition of RANKL, an essential mediator of osteoclast function, not only prevents tumor-induced osteolysis but also decreases skeletal tumor burden in preclinical models. The inhibition of skeletal tumor progression after the inhibition of osteoclasts is via interruption of the “vicious cycle” of tumor/bone interactions. The majority of breast cancer patients at risk for bone metastases harbor estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) tumors. We developed a mouse model for ER+ breast cancer bone metastasis and evaluated the effect of RANKL inhibition on tumor-induced osteolysis and skeletal tumor growth both alone and in combination with tamoxifen. Luciferase-labeled MCF-7 cells (MCF-7Luc) formed metastatic foci in the hind limbs following intracardiac injection and caused mixed osteolytic/osteoblastic lesions. RANKL inhibition by OPG-Fc treatment blocked osteoclast activity and prevented tumor-induced osteolysis, as well as caused a marked decrease in skeletal tumor burden. Tamoxifen as a single agent reduced MCF-7Luc tumor growth in the hind limbs. In a combination experiment, OPG-Fc plus tamoxifen resulted in significantly greater tumor growth inhibition than either single agent alone. Histologic analysis revealed a decrease in the proliferation of tumor cells by both single agents, which was enhanced in the combination treatment. Upon treatment with OPG-Fc alone or in combination with tamoxifen, there was a complete absence of osteolytic lesions, demonstrating the ability of RANKL inhibition to prevent skeletal related morbidity in an ER+ model. The combination approach of targeting osteoclasts and the bone microenvironment by RANKL inhibition and the tumor directly via hormonal therapy may provide additional benefit to reducing skeletal tumor progression in ER+ breast cancer patients.

Link to Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-2222-2

Effects of androgen deprivation therapy and bisphosphonate treatment on bone in patients with...

Authors

Colm Morrissey, Martine P. Roudier, Alex Dowell, Lawrence D. True, Melanie Ketchanji, Christopher Welty, Eva Corey, Paul H. Lange, Celestia S. Higano, Robert L. Vessella

Abstract

Qualitative and quantitative bone features were determined in nondecalcified and decalcified bone from 20 predetermined bone sites in each of 44 patients who died with castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), some of which received bisphosphonate treatment (BP) in addition to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Thirty nine of the 44 patients (89%) had evidence of bone metastases. By histomorphometric analysis, these bone metastases were associated with a range of bone responses from osteoblastic to osteolytic with a wide spectrum of bone responses often seen within an individual patient. Overall, the average bone volume/tissue volume (BV/TV) was 25.7% confirming the characteristic association of an osteoblastic response to prostate cancer bone metastasis when compared to the normal age-matched weighted mean BV/TV of 14.7%. The observed new bone formation was essentially woven bone and this was a localized event. In comparing BV/TV at metastatic sites between patients who had received BP treatment and those that had not, there was a significant difference (28.6% vs 19.3%, respectively). At bone sites that were not invaded by tumor, the average BV/TV was 10.1% indicating significant bone loss due to ADT that was not improved (11%) in those patients who had received BPs. Surprisingly there was no significant difference in the number of osteoclasts present at the metastatic sites between patients treated or not treated with BPs but in bone sites where the patient had been treated with BPs, giant osteoclasts were observed. Overall, 873 paraffin embedded specimens and 661 methylmethacrylate embedded specimens were analyzed. Our results indicate that in CRPC patients, ADT induces serious bone loss even in patients treated with BP. Furthermore, in this cohort of patients, BP treatment increased BV and did not decrease the number of osteoclasts in prostate cancer bone metastases compared to bone metastases from patients who did not receive BP.

Link to Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.1749

Mesenchymal stem cells increase collagen infiltration and improve wound healing response to porous titanium percutaneous implants

Authors

Dorthyann Isackson, Kevin J. Cook, Lawrence D. McGill, Kent N. Bachus

Abstract

Epidermal downgrowth, commonly associated with long-term percutaneous implants, weakens the skin-implant seal and greatly increases the vulnerability of the site to infection. To improve the skin attachment and early tissue integration with porous metal percutaneous implants, we evaluated the effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) to provide wound healing cues and vascularization to the dermal and epidermal tissues in establishing a barrier with the implant. Two porous metal percutaneous implants, one treated with BMMSCs and one untreated, were placed subdermally on the dorsum of Lewis rats. Implants were evaluated at 0, 3, 7, 28, and 56 days after implantation. Histological analyses evaluated cellular infiltrates, vascularization, quantity and quality of tissue ingrowth, epidermal downgrowth, and fibrous encapsulation. The amount of collagen infiltrating the porous coating was significantly greater for the BMMSC-treated implants at 3 and 28 days post implantation compared to untreated implants. There was an early influx and resolution of cellular inflammatory infiltrates in the treated implants compared to the untreated, though not statistically significant. Vascularization increased over time in both treated and untreated implants, with no statistical significance. Epidermal downgrowth was minimally observed in all implants with or without the BMMSC treatment. Our results suggest that BMMSCs can influence an early and rapid resolution of acute and chronic inflammation in wound healing, and can stimulate early collagen deposition and granulation tissue associated with later stages of wound repair. These findings provide evidence that BMMSCs can stimulate a more rapid and improved barrier between the skin and porous metal percutaneous implant.

Link to Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2012.08.002

Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor in mature osteoblasts is required for periosteal bone formation induced by reloading

Authors

Takuo Kubota, Hashem Z. Elalieh, Neema Saless, Chak Fong, Yongmei Wang, Muriel Babey, Zhiqiang Cheng, Daniel D. Bikle

Abstract

Skeletal loading and unloading has a pronounced impact on bone remodeling, a process also regulated by insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling. Skeletal unloading leads to resistance to the anabolic effect of IGF-1, while reloading after unloading restores responsiveness to IGF-1. However, a direct study of the importance of IGF-1 signaling in the skeletal response to mechanical loading remains to be tested. In this study, we assessed the skeletal response of osteoblast-specific Igf-1 receptor deficient (Igf-1r−/−) mice to unloading and reloading. The mice were hindlimb unloaded for 14 days and then reloaded for 16 days. Igf-1r−/− mice displayed smaller cortical bone and diminished periosteal and endosteal bone formation at baseline. Periosteal and endosteal bone formation decreased with unloading in Igf-1r+/+ mice. However, the recovery of periosteal bone formation with reloading was completely inhibited in Igf-1r−/− mice, although reloading-induced endosteal bone formation was not hampered. These changes in bone formation resulted in the abolishment of the expected increase in total cross-sectional area with reloading in Igf-1r−/− mice compared to the control mice. These results suggest that the Igf-1r in mature osteoblasts has a critical role in periosteal bone formation in the skeletal response to mechanical loading.

Link to Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2012.08.007

Skeletal effects of zoledronic acid in an animal model of chronic kidney disease

Authors

M. R. Allen, N. X. Chen, V. H. Gattone II, X. Chen, A. J. Carr, P. LeBlanc, D. Brown and S. M. Moe

Abstract

Bisphosphonates reduce skeletal loss and fracture risk, but their use has been limited in patients with chronic kidney disease. This study shows skeletal benefits of zoledronic acid in an animal model of chronic kidney disease. Bisphosphonates are routinely used to reduce fractures but limited data exists concerning their efficacy in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that zoledronic acid produces similar skeletal effects in normal animals and those with kidney disease. At 25 weeks of age, normal rats were treated with a single dose of saline vehicle or 100 μg/kg of zoledronic acid while animals with kidney disease (approximately 30 % of normal kidney function) were treated with vehicle, low dose (20 μg/kg), or high dose (100 μg/kg) zoledronic acid, or calcium gluconate (3 % in the drinking water). Skeletal properties were assessed 5 weeks later using micro-computed tomography, dynamic histomorphometry, and mechanical testing. Animals with kidney disease had significantly higher trabecular bone remodeling compared to normal animals. Zoledronic acid significantly suppressed remodeling in both normal and diseased animals yet the remodeling response to zoledronic acid was no different in normal and animals with kidney disease. Animals with kidney disease had significantly lower cortical bone biomechanical properties; these were partially normalized by treatment. Based on these results, we conclude that zoledronic acid produces similar amounts of remodeling suppression in animals with high turnover kidney disease as it does in normal animals, and has positive effects on select biomechanical properties that are similar in normal animals and those with chronic kidney disease.

Link to Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-2103-x

Negative regulation of osteoclast precursor differentiation by CD11b and β2 integrin-BCL6 signaling

Authors

Kyung-Hyun Park-Min, Eun Young Lee, Neal K. Moskowitz, Elisha Lim,Sun-Kyeong Lee, Joseph A. Lorenzo, Chuanxin Huang, Ari M. Melnick, P. Edward Purdue, Steven R. Goldring, Lionel B. Ivashkiv

Link to Article

Negative regulation of osteoclastogenesis is important for bone homeostasis and prevention of excessive bone resorption in inflammatory and other diseases. Mechanisms that directly suppress osteoclastogenesis are not well understood. In this study we investigated regulation of osteoclast differentiation by the β2 integrin CD11b/CD18 that is expressed on myeloid lineage osteoclast precursors. CD11b-deficient mice exhibited decreased bone mass that was associated with increased osteoclast numbers and decreased bone formation. Accordingly, CD11b and β2 integrin signaling suppressed osteoclast differentiation by preventing RANKL-induced induction of the master regulator of osteoclastogenesis NFATc1 and of downstream osteoclast-related NFATc1 target genes. CD11b suppressed induction of NFATc1 by the complementary mechanisms of downregulation of RANK expression and induction of recruitment of the transcriptional repressor BCL6 to the NFATC1 gene. These findings identify CD11b as a negative regulator of the earliest stages of osteoclast differentiation, and provide an inducible mechanism by which environmental cues suppress osteoclastogenesis by activating a transcriptional repressor that makes genes refractory to osteoclastogenic signaling.

Link to Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.1739