In vivo analysis of the contribution of bone resorption to the control of glucose metabolism in mice ★

Osteocalcin is a hormone produced in bones by osteoblasts and regulating energy metabolism. While osteocalcin exists in two forms, γ-carboxylated and undercarboxylated only the latter appears to function as a hormone in vivo. It has been proposed recently that osteoclasts, the bone-resorbing cells, are responsible of decarboxylating, i.e. activating osteocalcin. To address the role of osteoclasts in the maintenance of energy metabolism we analyzed mutant mouse strains harboring either an increase or a decrease in osteoclasts number. Osteoprotegerin-deficient mice that are characterized by an increase in the number of osteoclasts demonstrate an increase in serum levels of undercarboxylated osteocalcin and are significantly more glucose tolerant than WT animals. Conversely, osteoclasts ablation in mice results in a decrease in serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin levels and in reduced glucose tolerance. These results support the notion that osteoclasts are controlling glucose metabolism at least in part through the regulation of osteocalcin decarboxylation.