Mouse BMCs were cultured in alpha-modified minimum essential medium containing foetal calf serum (10 % ) and tetracyclines (2.5, 5 and 10 μM), such as MINO, tetracycline hydrochloride (TC), oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OXT) or doxycycline (DOXY) in the presence of 1α,25(OH)2D3 (10 nM) or s-RANKL (20 ng/ml) for 7 days, and the number of TRAP staining-positive osteoclast-like cells was counted. In RNA isolated from BMCs treated with 1α,25(OH)2D3 or s-RANKL in the presence or absence of MINO, the expressions of osteoclast differentiation relating to mRNA were analysed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Cell viability was examined in mouse BMCs and rabbit osteoclasts treated with MINO (0.25–20 μM and 2–50 μM, respectively) for 24 h.
MINO, TC, OXT or DOXY inhibited 1α,25(OH)2D3-induced osteoclast-like cell formation in mouse BMCs dose dependently. MINO suppressed 1α,25(OH)2D3-induced up-regulation of mRNA expressions of TRAP, cathepsin K, carbonic anhydrase II, and calcitonin receptor, but not RANKL. MINO inhibited s-RANKL-induced osteoclast-like cell formation and up-regulation of mRNA expressions for nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 (NFATc1), a key regulator of osteoclast differentiation; however, MINO had no effects on the viability of mouse BMCs and rabbit osteoclasts.
MINO inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis via down-regulation of NFATc1 mRNA expression in osteoclast precursor cells.