Osteocytes and Paget's Disease of Bone

Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2024 Apr;22(2):266-272. doi: 10.1007/s11914-024-00863-5. Epub 2024 Mar 8.

Abstract

Purpose of review: To describe the contributions of osteocytes to the lesions in Paget's disease, which are characterized by locally overactive bone resorption and formation.

Recent findings: Osteocytes, the most abundant cells in bone, are altered in Paget's disease lesions, displaying increased size, decreased canalicular length, incomplete differentiation, and less sclerostin expression compared to controls in both patients and mouse models. Pagetic lesions show increased senescent osteocytes that express RANK ligand, which drives osteoclastic bone resorption. Abnormal osteoclasts in Paget's disease secrete abundant IGF1, which enhances osteocyte senescence, contributing to lesion formation. Recent data suggest that osteocytes contribute to lesion formation in Paget's disease by responding to high local IGF1 released from abnormal osteoclasts. Here we describe the characteristics of osteocytes in Paget's disease and their role in bone lesion formation based on recent results with mouse models and supported by patient data.

Keywords: Osteoclast; Osteocyte; Paget’s bone disease; RANKL; Senescence.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Resorption / metabolism
  • Cellular Senescence
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Humans
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Osteitis Deformans* / metabolism
  • Osteitis Deformans* / pathology
  • Osteoclasts* / metabolism
  • Osteocytes* / metabolism
  • Osteocytes* / pathology
  • RANK Ligand / metabolism

Substances

  • RANK Ligand
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I