Differential response of bone cells isolated by sequential digestion to dichloromethylenebisphonate in culture

Effects of two novel bisphosphonates on bone cells in vitro

Bisphosphonates are now widely used in the treatment of bone diseases, particularly where there is uncontrolled bone resorption, as they are known to be potent inhibitors of osteoclasis. It is still unclear whether the bisphosphonates act by inhibiting osteoclast maturation or by blocking the mechanism of bone resorption, and little is known of their effects on osteoblasts. Recent studies with 3-amino-1, hydroxypropylidene-1,1-bisphosphonic acid (APD) in the treatment of osteolytic metastases in breast cancer have suggested that APD may affect osteoblasts directly. We have now investigated the effects of two novel bisphosphonates, CGP 47072 and CGP 42446A on osteoclastogenesis in fetal rat calvariae cultured on collagen gels and on human osteoblasts (hOB) cultured as explants from bone taken from patients at surgery. We also compared the action of these new bisphosphonates with that of APD, which at concentrations of 2.5 x 10(-6) M to 2.5 x 10(-10) M inhibited osteoclast recruitment, even when this was stimulated by conditioned medium from MCF7 breast cancer cells. This bisphosphonate was particularly potent if cultured with calvaria taken at 19 days gestation, when more immature osteoclast precursors are present. If calvariae from 20 days gestation were used, which contain more mature cells, it produced less inhibition. In contrast, CGP 42446A (2.5 x 10(-6) M to 2.5 x 10(-8) M) was more effective in inhibiting osteoclast maturation in calvariae from 20 days gestation than in those from 19 days. CGP 47072 had a similar pattern of effects but was less potent than either of the other two compounds. APD or CGP 42446A at 10(-5) M significantly inhibited hOB numbers and DNA synthesis, but lower concentrations had little effect. CGP 47072 did not inhibit human osteoblast replication. It is unlikely that these effects are due to calcium chelation, as none of these compounds mimicked results obtained with EDTA, which was effective only at 2.5 x 10(-6) M in reducing osteoclast size and 10(-4) M in human osteoblast cultures. These results demonstrate that all three bisphosphonates are able to inhibit osteoclast formation at low concentrations. APD may be able to influence less mature osteoclast precursors and CGP 42446A and CGP 47072 may exert their effects on the fusion of more mature precursor cells on the bone surface. At these concentrations, however, there is little or no effect on osteoblasts.

Growth of osteoblasts on porous calcium phosphate ceramic: an in vitro model for biocompatibility study

Biomaterial implantation in animals is commonly used for biocompatibility studies as well as examination of long-term interaction between tissue and the test material. An in vitro cell culture model is proposed as an alternative which will save animal lives and reduce the pain and discomfort of animals used for such studies. In this study the biomaterial was matched to the cell types typical of the implant site of the particular material: porous calcium phosphate ceramic, used as dental and orthopaedic implants, with periosteal fibroblasts, osteoblasts and chondrocytes. All three cell types attached on to the ceramic and formed multicellular layers. Numbers of periosteal fibroblasts, osteoblasts and chondrocytes increased 29-, 23- and 17-fold, respectively, during the 10 wk period. Osteoblasts retained their phenotypic expression by producing only Type I collagen. Parathyroid hormone (PTH, 50 nM) suppressed the alkaline phosphatase activity of osteoblasts by over 50% and increased cAMP by more than 10-fold over control cultures.

Bisphosphonates inhibit 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced increase of osteocalcin in plasma of rats in vivo and in culture medium of rat calvaria in vitro

In order to test whether bisphosphonates, which are potent inhibitors of osteoclastic bone resorption, may also act upon osteoblasts, we studied the effect of dichloromethylenebisphosphonate (Cl2MBP) and 4-amino-1-hydroxybutylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (AHBuBP) on in vivo levels and in vitro release of osteocalcin, a bone-specific protein produced by osteoblasts. In rats, 161 mumol/kg of Cl2MBP or 1.61 mumol/kg AHBuBP strongly inhibited the increase of plasma osteocalcin induced by 1,25(OH)2D3. The inhibition was measurable within 24 hours after the administration of bisphosphonate and was independent of any change in bone resorption. The effect upon osteocalcin release was also present in calvaria cultures. 250 microM Cl2MBP strongly inhibited the osteocalcin release induced by 10(-8) M 1,25(OH)2D3. In the presence of 1,25(OH)2D3, protein synthesis and DNA synthesis were also decreased, whereas in the absence of 1,25(OH)2D3, protein synthesis was increased. Thus, bisphosphonates affect the production of a bone-specific protein by osteoblasts in addition to their inhibitory action on osteoclasts.

Ultrastructural effects of diphosphonates on dental enamel

Initial experiments were designed to test the effects of two diphosphonates on acid dissolution of mature human enamel. Polished facets of enamel were treated with 10 mmol/L of EHDP or Cl2MDP (pH 7.4) for five min, H20-washed, acid-etched with 0.01 N lactic acid (pH 5.4) for 15 min, and examined in the scanning electron microscope. Controls were run with distilled H2O substituted for diphosphonates. In addition, the experimental window was outlined with lacquer, thus providing a reference to the original polished enamel surface. Results showed that EHDP markedly reduced enamel dissolution, with less than 1 μm of enamel removed, while Cl2MDP was similar to controls, with approximately 4-5 μm of enamel dissolved. It was decided to initiate further experiments with the objective of determining effects of diphosphonates on developing enamel during the secretory stage in rat molars.

Five-day-old animals were injected s.c. with one of the following: EHDP, ADP, Cl2MDP, or NaCl (0.9% control). The diphosphonate dosages were 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 mg P/kg. Rat incisors were also examined in initial experiments on older rats (21-day) following daily s.c. injections of EHDP. Twenty-four hr after the injections, all rats were killed by perfusion fixation and routinely prepared with and without decalcification for light and transmission electron microscopy.

Light microscopic examination of developing maxillary first molars frequently revealed subameloblastic cyst formation, which was used as an indicator of severe cellular alteration of overlying secretory ameloblasts. By this criterion, the EHDP- and ADP-treated rats showed more severe cellular effects at lower dosages (2.5 and 5 mg P/kg) than did the Cl2MDP-treated rats. In addition, when undecalcified sections were examined in the transmission electron microscope, disturbances in crystal formation were observed. Since both the cyst formation and the disturbed enamel beneath the cyst had many similarities to previous results reported on the effects of high doses of fluoride, the majority of results observed may be due to a non-specific cellular toxicity. However, some crystal growth effects appear to be specific for diphosphonates, as indicated by preliminary results with daily injections of EHDP. In the rat incisor, a definitive banding that shows both inhibition and return to more normal development within a 24-hour cycle has been detected. In the ultrastructure examination of undecalcified sections, the reaction to EHDP is clearly defined as bands of normal crystal size, electron density, and orientation alternating with disturbed bands of small crystal size and decreased electron density. The bands are approximately 2-3 μm in width.

Fatty acid oxidation in bone tissue and bone cells in culture. Characterization and hormonal influences

Fatty acid oxidation and its hormonal modulation were investigated in cultured rat calvaria and in cultivated cell populations. The latter were obtained from calvaria of newborn rats by sequential time-dependent digestion with collagenase, yielding eight cell populations: the early ones containing mainly fibroblasts, the middle ones being osteoblast-like, and late ones osteoblast-osteocyte-like. In calvaria, fatty acid oxidation was increased by adding 0.1 mM- and 1.0 mM-palmitate to the medium, containing 10% (v/v) fetal-calf serum. No effect was found after parathyrin addition in vitro or when injected in vivo. All cell populations obtained by sequential digestion were found to oxidize palmitate, whereby the osteoblast-like cells showed a lower oxidation rate than the other populations. Both parathyrin and calcitonin had no effect on fatty acid oxidation. 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol at 1-100 nM and 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol at 100 nM increased oxidation primarily in the population enriched with osteoblast-like cells. Insulin at 1.6 microM diminished it in the cell populations enriched with osteoblast-like cells and in the late bone-cell fraction. However, glucagon had no effect. The energy provided by fatty acid oxidation in this system is approx. 40-80% of glucose metabolism, suggesting that this event may be of importance in the energy metabolism of bone.

Bone metastases: pathogenesis, treatment, and rationale for use of resorption inhibitors

Tumors in bone are usually metastatic, with breast, prostate, and lung tumors accounting for more than 80 percent of clinically manifest lesions. Untreated, such metastases can produce the symptoms that most concern cancer patients--pain, pathologic fractures, and paralysis through epidural cord compression. Recent advances in the understanding of the metastatic cascade and the regulation of bone formation and resorption provide unique therapeutic approaches for prevention and treatment of these lesions. This article reviews the prevalence, distribution, diagnosis, and treatment of metastatic cancer in the skeleton, as well as the processes involved in the development of such metastases, the local mediators responsible for some of the destructive changes in bone, and their pathologic results. In addition to considering some of the conventional therapeutic approaches, a rationale for the use of bone resorption inhibitors, such as the diphosphonates (bisphosphonates), is presented for the prevention and amelioration of the pathologic consequences of skeletal metastases.

Effect of halogenmethylenebisphosphonates on bone cells in culture and on bone resorption in vivo

Dihalogenmethylenebisphosphonates increase alkaline phosphatase activity and fatty acid oxidation in calvaria cells in culture (Cl2MBP greater than Br2MBP approximately equal to F2MBP). The monohalogen ClMBP and the non-halogenated analogues are less active on phosphatase and inactive on or inhibitory towards fatty acid oxidation. The three dihalogenbisphosphonates and ClMBP inhibit bone resorption in vivo, Cl2MBP most strongly.