Interleukin-11 Receptor Signaling Is Required for Normal Bone Remodeling

Abstract IL-6 and -11 regulate bone turnover and have been implicated in estrogen deficiency-related bone loss. In this study, deletion of IL-11 signaling, but not that of IL-6, suppressed osteoclast differentiation, resulting in high trabecular bone volume and reduced bone formation. Furthermore, IL-11 signaling was not required for the effects of estradiol or estrogen deficiency on the mouse skeleton. Introduction: Interleukin (IL)-6 and -11 stimulate osteoclastogenesis and bone formation in vitro and have been implicated in bone loss in estrogen deficiency. Because of their common use of the gp130 co-receptor signaling subunit, the roles of these two cytokines are linked, and each may compensate for the absence of the other to maintain trabecular bone volume and bone cell differentiation. Materials and Methods: To determine the interactions in bone between IL-11 and IL-6 in vivo and whether IL-11 is required for normal bone turnover, we examined the bone phenotype of mature male and female IL-11 receptor knockout mice (IL-11Rα1−/−) and compared with the bone phenotype of IL-6−/− mice and mice lacking both IL-6 and IL-11Rα. To determine whether IL-11 is required for the effects of estrogen on trabecular bone, mature IL-11Rα1−/− mice were ovariectomized and treated with estradiol. Results: In both male and female IL-11Rα1−/− mice, trabecular bone volume was significantly higher than that of wildtype controls. This was associated with low bone resorption and low bone formation, and the low osteoclast number generated by IL-11Rα1−/− precursors was reproduced in ex vivo cultures, whereas elevated osteoblast generation was not. Neither trabecular bone volume nor bone turnover was altered in IL-6−/− mice, and compound IL-6−/−:IL-11Rα1−/− mice showed an identical bone phenotype to IL-11Rα1−/− mice. The responses of IL-11Rα1−/− mice to ovariectomy and estradiol treatment were the same as those observed in wildtype mice. Conclusions: IL-11 signaling is clearly required for normal bone turnover and normal trabecular bone mass, yet not for the effects of estradiol or estrogen deficiency on the skeleton. In the absence of IL-11Rα, increased trabecular bone mass seems to result from a cell lineage-autonomous reduction in osteoclast differentiation, suggesting a direct effect of IL-11 on osteoclast precursors. The effects of IL-11Rα deletion on the skeleton are not mediated or compensated for by changes in IL-6 signaling.