Phospholipid dynamics in osteoclast fusion

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26670675
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Orthopaedic surgery
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science
• Principal Investigator: IRIE Atsushi 公益財団法人東京都医学総合研究所, 生体分子先端研究分野, 主任研究員 (10280786)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): MURAKAMI Makoto (公益財団法人)東京都医学総合研究所, 生体分子先端研究分野, プロジェクトリーダー (60276607)
• Research Collaborator: YAMAMOTO Kei ; MIKI Yoshimi
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 破骨細胞 / リン脂質

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Osteoclasts, responsible for bone resorption, are formed by cell-cell fusion of mononuclear pre-osteoclasts. We found that the cellular content of phospholipids, phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in particular, was increased during osteoclast differentiation. Furthermore, PE was greatly increased in the cell surface of the osteoclast precursors. Immobilisation of the cell surface PE blocked osteoclast fusion, revealing the importance of PE abundance and distribution. To identify the molecules responsible for these PE dynamics, we screened a wide array of lipid-related genes and found that LPEAT2, ABCB4 and ABCG1 are key players for PE biosynthesis and redistribution. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the PE dynamics play an essential role in osteoclast fusion.

Free Research Field

生化学