Analysis of physiological roles of RANKL reverse signaling in bone homeostasis

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24390349
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Honma Masashi 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 特任准教授 (60401072)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUZUKI Hiroshi 東京大学, 医学部附属病院, 教授 (80206523)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: シグナル伝達 / 生体分子 / 生理活性 / 薬理学 / 老化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the physiological roles of a novel signaling pathway called RANKL reverse signaling. Recently, it has been reported that osteocytes are the major provider of RANKL during physiological osteoclastogenesis. Considering this, we firstly analyzed the roles of RANKL reverse signaling in osteocytes, and showed that the secretion of lysosomal RANKL to the osteocytic cell surface is triggered by RANKL reverse signaling. Next, we analyzed the roles of RANKL reverse signaling in osteoblasts, and showed that osteoblastic RANKL acts as a coupling signal acceptor for RANK incorporated into osteoclastic exosomes.

Free Research Field

整形外科学