Increase in the number of bone marrow osteoclast precursors at different skeletal sites, particularly in long bone and jaw marrow in mice lacking IL-1RA

Recently, it was shown that interleukin-1β (IL-1β) has diverse stimulatory effects on different murine long bone marrow osteoclast precursors (OCPs) in vitro. In this study, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist deficient (Il1rn^−/−) and wild-type (WT) mice were compared to investigate the effects of enhanced IL-1 signaling on the composition of OCPs in long bone, calvaria, vertebra, and jaw. Bone marrow cells were isolated from these sites and the percentage of early blast (CD31^hi Ly-6C⁻), myeloid blast (CD31⁺ Ly-6C⁺), and monocyte (CD31⁻ Ly-6C^hi) OCPs was assessed by flow cytometry. At the time-point of cell isolation, Il1rn^−/− mice showed no inflammation or bone destruction yet as determined by histology and microcomputed tomography. However, Il1rn^−/− mice had an approximately two-fold higher percentage of OCPs in long bone and jaw marrow compared to WT. Conversely, vertebrae and calvaria marrow contained a similar composition of OCPs in both strains. Bone marrow cells were cultured with macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor of NfκB ligand (RANKL) on bone slices to assess osteoclastogenesis and on calcium phosphate-coated plates to analyze mineral dissolution. Deletion of Il1rn increased osteoclastogenesis from long bone, calvaria, and jaw marrows, and all Il1rn^−/− cultures showed increased mineral dissolution compared to WT. However, osteoclast markers increased exclusively in Il1rn^−/− osteoclasts from long bone and jaw. Collectively, these findings indicate that a lack of IL-1RA increases the numbers of OCPs in vivo, particularly in long bone and jaw, where rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis develop. Thus, increased bone loss at these sites may be triggered by a larger pool of OCPs due to the disruption of IL-1 inhibitors.