A murine model of inflammatory bone disease

We have recently reported the identification of a new recessive mutation on murine chromosome 18 that results in tail kinks and deformity in the lower extremities of mice. Preliminary examination of the bones of these mice sh owed that there are abnormalities present that resembled chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis. Accordingly, this new mutation was named "CMO." I n this report, we describe the histology of bones in CMO mice, as well as t he capacity of the bone marrow cells from these animals to form osteoclasts (OCLs), In addition, we tested conditioned media from nonadherent marrow c ells and total. marrow cells from CMO mice for their capacity to induce OCL formation in normal murine marrow cultures. These studies demonstrated tha t the bone disease in these animals is inflammatory in nature, and a solubl e factor(s) that is not IL-1 alpha, IL-6 or TNF-alpha is released by marrow cells from CMO animals and enhances OCL formation in normal murine marrow cultures. (C) 2000 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.