Previous studies using blocking antibodies suggested that bone marrow (BM)-derived C3 is required for efficient osteoclast (OC) differentiation, and that C3 receptors are involved in this process. However, the detailed underlying mechanism and the possible involvement of other complement receptors remain unclear. In this report, we found that C3 ؊/؊ BM cells exhibited lower RANKL/OPG expression ratios, produced smaller amounts of macrophage colonystimulating factor and interleukin-6 (IL-6), and generated significantly fewer OCs than wild-type (WT) BM cells. During differentiation, in addition to C3, WT BM cells locally produced all other complement components required to activate C3 and to generate C3a/C5a through the alternative pathway, which is required for efficient OC differentiation. Abrogating C3aR/C5aR activity either genetically or pharmaceutically suppressed OC generation, while stimulating WT or C3 ؊/؊ BM cells with exogenous C3a and/or C5a augmented OC differentiation. Furthermore, supplementation with IL-6 rescued OC generation from C3 ؊/؊ BM cells, and neutralizing antibodies to IL-6 abolished the stimulatory effects of C3a/C5a on OC differentiation. These data indicate that during OC differentiation, BM cells locally produce components, which are activated through the alternative pathway to regulate OC differentiation. In addition to C3 receptors, C3aR/C5aR also regulate OC differentiation, at least in part, by modulating local IL-6 production. (Blood.
2010;116(22):4456-4463)
IntroductionC3 is the central part of the complement system, which is pivotal in fighting infection and clearing out immune complexes as part of the innate immunity. For C3 to impact any cell, it needs to be activated through 1 of the 3 activating pathways: the classical, the alternative, or the lectin pathway. To form the C3 convertase (C3bBb) that is required in the alternative-pathway complement-activation cascade, C3b is generated from spontaneous C3 hydrolysis and binds to the active form of factor B (Bb), which is produced by the enzymatic activity of factor D. After the enzymatic activities of these C3/C5 convertases, the resultant complement-activation products bind to their receptors, facilitating cell migration, 1 phagocytosis, 2 as well as many other cellular activities. For cell surface-bound complement activation products, such as C3b and its derivatives, there are the C3 receptors, CR1, 3 CR2, 4 CR3, 5 and CR4 6 ; for the released complement-activation products, such as C3a and C5a, 1 there are C3aR 7 and C5aR. 8 C3aR and C5aR are G protein-coupled receptors that are present on a broad spectrum of cells. 9 C3a and C5a (also known as, anaphylatoxins) are small polypeptides, 10 which bind to C3aR and C5aR with high affinity (K d ϭ 1 nM) to modulate many cell activities, including stimulating the production of interleukin (IL)-6 (reviewed in Haas and van Strijp 11 ).In 1993, Dr Suda and his colleagues reported that the activated form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH) 2 vitamin D 3 , induces bone marrow (BM) cells to locally p...