The effects of tamoxifen and toremifene on bone cells involve changes in plasma membrane ion conductance.

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), tamoxifen (Tam) and toremifene (Tor), are widely used in the treatment of breast cancer. In addition, they have been demonstrated to prevent estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss in postmenopausal women. These effects are thought to be caused by the interaction of the SERMs with the estrogen receptor, although SERMs have also been shown to conduct non-receptor-mediated effects such as rapid changes in membrane functions.

Different calcium sensitivity in osteoclasts on glass and on bone and maintenance of cytoskeletal structures on bone in the presence of high extracellular calcium.

The sensitivity of rat osteoclasts to increased extracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]e) was investigated by single cell measurements of free cytosolic calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]i), by changes in microfilament organization of resorbing osteoclasts, and by in vitro bone resorption assays. Osteoclasts cultured on glass and on bone showed clear differences in their responses, as in 44% and 52% of osteoclasts on glass but in only 21% and 25% of osteoclasts on bone [Ca2+]i increased when [Ca2+]e was increased from 2 mM to 6 or 10 mM via perfusion, respectively. Bone resorption was inhibited without changes in the osteoclast numbers only by 10 mM [Ca2+]e in 2 day cultures.

Purification of vacuolar ATPase with bafilomycin C1 affinity chromatography.

We have developed a fast and simple affinity purification method for vacuolar ATPases (V-ATPases) using bafilomycin C1 -coupled cellulose column. The purified protein from solubilized chicken medullary bone microsomal vesicles contains 8 subunits at sizes of 72, 65, 55, 41, 34, 20, 17 and 15 kDa. This subunit structure is typical to V-ATPases.

Inhibition of bone resorption by a monoclonal antibody that reacts with a 150 kD membrane protein in chicken osteoclasts.

Bone resorption is a multistep process that includes the maturation of osteoclast precursors, the special attachment of fully differentiated osteoclasts to mineralized bone surface, and the dissolution of inorganic mineral, as well as the breakdown of organic matrix. We have produced a large panel of monoclonal antibodies directed against chicken osteoclasts to obtain specific probes for studying the function of osteoclasts. One of our antibodies, K20, inhibited bone resorption of isolated osteoclasts almost completely.