Immunological study on circulating murine osteoprotegerin/osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OPG/OCIF): Possible role of OPG/OCIF in the prevention of osteoporosis in pregnancy
K. Yano et al., Immunological study on circulating murine osteoprotegerin/osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OPG/OCIF): Possible role of OPG/OCIF in the prevention of osteoporosis in pregnancy, BIOC BIOP R, 288(1), 2001, pp. 217-224
Citations number
43
Categorie Soggetti
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Journal title
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
Osteoprotegerin (OPG)/osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OCIF) is a solu
ble member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family and plays a crucial
role in the negative regulation of osteoclastic bone resorption. We have i
mmunized OPG/OCIF knockout mice with murine rOPG/rOCIF and established a pa
nel of hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to murine rOPG/rOC
IF. Utilizing the mAbs, we developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELI
SA) systems: one detecting both homodimeric and monomeric forms of murine O
PG/OCIF and the other detecting only dimeric form of murine OPG/OCIF. With
the aid of these ELISA systems we showed that OPG/OCIF is present mainly as
a monomer in murine blood. The concentration of OPG/OCIF in normal mouse s
era was approximately 500 pg/ml and there was no statistical difference in
the serum concentration of OPG/OCIF among genders, age, and strains. Intere
stingly, the concentration of circulating OPG/OCIF in mouse markedly increa
sed during pregnancy. The result indicated that circulating OPG/OCIF plays
an important role in the protection of bone from excess resorption during p
regnancy in mammals. (C) 2001 Academic Press.