A distinctive role of the leukotriene B4 receptor BLT1 in osteoclastic activity during bone loss

Although leukotriene B-4 (LTB4) is produced in various inflammatory diseases, its functions in bone metabolism remain unknown. Using mice deficient in the high-affinity LTB4 receptor BLT1, we evaluated the roles of BLT1 in the development of two bone resorption models, namely bone loss induced by ovariectomy and lipopolysaccharide. Through observations of bone mineral contents and bone morphometric parameters, we found that bone resorption in both models was significantly attenuated in BLT1-deficient mice. Furthermore, osteoclasts from BLT1-deficient mice showed reduced calcium resorption activities compared with wild-type osteoclasts. Osteoclasts expressed BLT1, but not the low-affinity LTB4 receptor BLT2, and produced LTB4. LTB4 changed the cell morphology of osteoclasts through the BLT1-Gi protein-Rac1 signaling pathway. Given the causal relationship between osteoclast morphology and osteoclastic activity, these findings suggest that autocrine/paracrine LTB4 increases the osteoclastic activity through the BLT1-Gi protein-Rac1 signaling pathway. Inhibition of BLT1 functions may represent a strategy for preventing bone resorption diseases.