Endothelins are a class of peptides that are produced by and elicit responses in many tissues. A growing literature documents the presence and effects of endothelins in bone. Both endothelinA and endothelinB receptors have been demonstrated in osteoblastic cells by ligand binding. Major signal transduction pathways for endothelin in bone cells appear to be stimulation of phospholipid turnover, by activation of A, C and D phospholipases, stimulation of calcium flux from intracellular and extracellular stores and activation of tyrosine kinases. Endothelins also modulate calcium signaling elicited by other agents in osteoblastic cells. The parathyroid hormone-stimulated calcium transient in UMR-106 cells is enhanced by endothelins, acting through an endothelinB receptor, whereas the parathyroid hormone-stimulated increase in cyclic AMP is inhibited by endothelins. Phenotypic responses to endothelin-1 include changes in alkaline phosphatase activity, stimulation of osteocalcin and osteopontin message, stimulation of collagen and noncollagenous protein synthesis, inhibition of osteoclast motility and stimulation of prostaglandin-dependent resorption. Endothelin-1 also enhances the interleukin-1-induced increase in interleukin-6. Endothelins can also potentially affect calcium metabolism through their actions to inhibit the secretion of parathyroid hormone.

The effects of endothelin-1 (ET) on several tissues are mediated by prostaglandins. In this study, we investigated the actions of ET on bone and determined whether they are mediated through prostaglandin-dependent pathways. Bone resorption, collagen, and non-collagen protein synthesis and inositol phosphate (IP) production were studied in neonatal mouse calvaria and fetal rat limb bone cultures. The effects of ET in the calvaria model were examined in the presence or absence of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (INDO). Bone resorption was stimulated by ET in the neonatal mouse calvaria, and this effect was inhibited by INDO. 45Ca release in the fetal rat limb bones was not affected by ET. ET stimulated collagen and noncollagen protein synthesis significantly in the calvaria model in the presence but not in the absence of INDO, suggesting that the anabolic effects of ET were masked by endogenous prostaglandin production. ET increased phosphatidylinositol turnover in both bone organ cultures. Although the addition of INDO reduced IP production slightly in the mouse calvaria, it was still significantly stimulated by ET. Our results demonstrate that ET has marked effects on bone tissue in vitro. Effects on resorption appear to be prostaglandin dependent, whereas the anabolic effects were not prostaglandin mediated. The stimulatory effects of ET on protein synthesis could be mediated through the IP signaling pathway. Since ET stimulates both bone resorption and anabolism, this peptide may have a role in the coupling of bone remodeling.

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To determine the possible involvement of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the bone loss of hyperthyroidism, relationships between thyroid status, biochemical and densitometric parameters of bone metabolism, and IL-6 were studied in female subjects. Patients with hyperthyroidism caused by either toxic nodular goiter or Graves' disease had significantly higher serum IL-6 concentrations than normal controls. Within the control group, serum IL-6 was higher in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women, but this influence of menopausal status was not seen in the hyperthyroid patients. The production of IL-6 by blood mononuclear cells was higher in cells from the hyperthyroid women. Bone turnover was increased in the hyperthyroid patients based on serum osteocalcin and urinary deoxypyridinoline excretion, and the hyperthyroid group also had reduced radius bone mineral content (BMC). A subgroup of hyperthyroid patients who had the lowest BMC (values more than 1 SD below normal age-matched controls) also had serum IL-6 concentrations significantly greater than those of hyperthyroid patients showing less reduction of BMC. The correlations observed in this study support the possibility that IL-6 plays a role in mediating the bone loss that results from excess thyroid hormone.