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Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3) are important factors in Ca(2+) homeostasis, and promote osteoclastogenesis by modulating receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) mRNA expression. However, their contribution to RANKL intracellular transport (RANKLiT), including the trigger for RANKL lysosomal vesicle (RANKL-lv) fusion to the cell membrane, is unclear. In neurons, depolarization of membrane potential increases the intracellular Ca(2+) level ([Ca(2+)]i) and promotes neurotransmitter release via fusion of the synaptic vesicles to the cell membrane. To determine whether membrane depolarization also regulates cellular processes such as RANKLiT in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts (OBs), we generated a light-sensitive OB cell line and developed a system for altering their membrane potential via delivery of a blue light stimulus. In the membrane fraction of RANKL-overexpressing OBs, PTH and VD3 increased the membrane-bound RANKL (mbRANKL) level at 10 min after application without affecting the mRNA expression level, and depolarized the cell membrane while transiently increasing [Ca(2+)]i. In our novel OB line stably expressing the channelrhodopsin-wide receiver, blue light-induced depolarization increased the mbRANKL level, which was reversed by treatment of blockers for L-type voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and Ca(2+) release from the endoplasmic reticulum. In co-cultures of osteoclast precursor-like RAW264.7 cells and light-sensitive OBs overexpressing RANKL, light stimulation induced an increase in tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and promoted osteoclast differentiation. These results indicate that depolarization of the cell membrane is a trigger for RANKL-lv fusion to the membrane and that membrane potential contributes to the function of OBs. In addition, the non-genomic action of VD3-induced RANKL-lv fusion included the membrane-bound VD3 receptor (1,25D3-MARRS receptor). Elucidating the mechanism of RANKLiT regulation by PTH and VD3 will be useful for the development of drugs to prevent bone loss in osteoporosis and other bone diseases.

Ift88 is an intraflagella transport protein, critical for the cilium, and has been shown to be required for the maintenance of chondrocytes and cartilage. However, how Ift88 is controlled by cytokines that play a role in osteoarthritis is not well understood. Therefore, we examined the effects of TGF-β on the expression of Ift88. We used ATDC5 cells as chondrocytes and analyzed the effects of TGF-β on gene expression. TGF-β treatment suppresses the levels of Ift88 mRNA in a dose-dependent manner starting from as low as 0.5 ng/mL and reaching the nadir at around 2 ng/mL. TGF-β treatment also suppresses the protein levels of Ift88. TGF-β suppression of Ift88 is still observed when the cells are cultured in the presence of a transcriptional inhibitor while the TGF-β suppression is weakened in the presence of a protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide. TGF-β treatment suppresses the levels of Ift88 mRNA stability suggesting the presence of posttranscriptional regulation. TGF-β treatment reduces the number of cilia positive cells and suppresses average length of cilia. Knockdown of Ift88 by siRNA enhances TGF-β-induced increase in type II collagen mRNA expression in ATDC5 cells revealing the suppressive role of Ift88 on TGF-β-induced regulation of extracellular matrix protein expression. TGF-β also suppresses Ift88 mRNA expression in primary culture of rib chondrocytes. These data indicate that TGF-β regulates Ift88 gene expression at least in part via posttrascriptional manner. J. Cell. Physiol. 9999: 2788–2795, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

As the aged population is soaring, prevalence of osteoporosis is increasing. However, the molecular basis underlying the regulation of bone mass is still incompletely understood. Sympathetic tone acts via beta2 adrenergic receptors in bone and regulates the mass of bone which is the target organ of parathyroid hormone (PTH). However, whether beta2 adrenergic receptor is regulated by PTH in bone cells is not known. We therefore investigated the effects of PTH on beta2 adrenergic receptor gene expression in osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells. PTH treatment immediately suppressed the expression levels of beta2 adrenergic receptor mRNA. This PTH effect was dose-dependent starting as low as 1 nM. PTH action on beta2 adrenergic receptor gene expression was inhibited by a transcriptional inhibitor, DRB, but not by a protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide suggesting direct transcription control. Knockdown of beta2 adrenergic receptor promoted PTH-induced expression of c-fos, an immediate early response gene. With respect to molecular basis for this phenomenon, knockdown of beta2 adrenergic receptor enhanced PTH-induced transcriptional activity of cyclic AMP response element-luciferase construct in osteoblasts. Knockdown of beta2 adrenergic receptors also enhanced forskolin-induced luciferase expression, revealing that adenylate cyclase activity is influenced by beta2 adrenergic receptor. As for phosphorylation of transcription factor, knockdown of beta2 adrenergic receptor enhanced PTH-induced phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB). These data reveal that beta2 adrenergic receptor is one of the targets of PTH and acts as a suppressor of PTH action in osteoblasts.

Osteoclast differentiation is one of the critical steps that control bone mass levels in osteoporosis, but the molecules involved in osteoclastogenesis are still incompletely understood. Here, we show that two-pore channel 2 (TPC2) is expressed in osteoclast precursor cells, and its knockdown (TPC2-KD) in these cells suppressed RANKL-induced key events including multinucleation, enhancement of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activities, and TRAP mRNA expression levels. With respect to intracellular signaling, TPC2-KD reduced the levels of the RANKL-induced dynamic waving of Ca(2+) in RAW cells. The search for the target of TPC2 identified that nuclear localization of NFATc1 is retarded in TPC2-KD cells. Finally, TPC2-KD suppressed osteoclastic pit formation in cultures. We conclude that TPC2 is a novel critical molecule for osteoclastogenesis.

The sympathetic nervous system suppresses bone mass by mechanisms that remain incompletely elucidated. Using cell-based and murine genetics approaches, we show that this activity of the sympathetic nervous system requires osteopontin (OPN), a cytokine and one of the major members of the noncollagenous extracellular matrix proteins of bone. In this work, we found that the stimulation of the sympathetic tone by isoproterenol increased the level of OPN expression in the plasma and bone and that mice lacking OPN (OPN-KO) suppressed the isoproterenol-induced bone loss by preventing reduced osteoblastic and enhanced osteoclastic activities. In addition, we found that OPN is necessary for changes in the expression of genes related to bone resorption and bone formation that are induced by activation of the sympathetic tone. At the cellular level, we showed that intracellular OPN modulated the capacity of the β2-adrenergic receptor to generate cAMP with a corresponding modulation of cAMP-response element binding (CREB) phosphorylation and associated transcriptional events inside the cell. Our results indicate that OPN plays a critical role in sympathetic tone regulation of bone mass and that this OPN regulation is taking place through modulation of the β2-adrenergic receptor/cAMP signaling system.

Parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related protein receptor (PPR) signaling is known to be involved in tooth development. In bone, extracellular matrix protein osteopontin (OPN) is a negative regulator of PPR signaling in bone formation. However, the role of OPN in modulation of PPR action in tooth development is not understood. Therefore, we examined the tooth in double mutant mice. Constitutively active PPR was expressed specifically in the odontoblasts and osteoblasts (caPPR-tg) in the presence or absence of OPN. Radiographic analysis indicated that the length of the third molar (M3) and the incisor was decreased in the caPPR-tg mice compared to wild type, and such reduction in molar and incisor length was further enhanced in the absence of OPN (caPPR-tg OPN-KO). With respect to histology of incisors, caPPR-tg induced high cellularity and irregularity in odontoblastic shape and this was enhanced by the absence of OPN. These morphological observations suggest that OPN modulates PPR signaling that are involved in tooth formation.

Per-1 is one of the clock genes and is known to regulate various biological events including bone mass determination. Parathyroid hormone is anabolic to bone while the mechanism of its action is not fully understood. Here, we examined the role of PTH on Per-1 gene expression under osteoblast specific PTH signaling. Constitutively active PTH receptor (caPPR) expressed specifically in osteoblasts in transgenic mice activates Per-1 gene expression in bone. This is specific as expression of other clock gene Bmal-1 is not affected by caPPR over-expression. Per-1 is also expressed in osteoblastic cell line. Interestingly, Per-1 expression is required for PTH signaling-induced CRE dependent transcription. This is forming a positive feed back loop in the anabolic action of PTH signaling and Per-1 in bone. These data indicate that PTH singling in osteoblasts activates Per-1 gene expression in vivo in association with its anabolic action in bone at least in part through the regulation of transcriptional events.

Migration of the cells in osteoblastic lineage, including preosteoblasts and osteoblasts, has been postulated to influence bone formation. However, the molecular bases that link preosteoblastic/osteoblastic cell migration and bone formation are incompletely understood. Nck (noncatalytic region of tyrosine kinase; collectively referred to Nck1 and Nck2) is a member of the signaling adaptors that regulate cell migration and cytoskeletal structures, but its function in cells in the osteoblastic lineage is not known. Therefore, we examined the role of Nck in migration of these cells. Nck is expressed in preosteoblasts/osteoblasts, and its knockdown suppresses migration as well as cell spreading and attachment to substrates. In contrast, Nck1 overexpression enhances spreading and increases migration and attachment. As for signaling, Nck double knockdown suppresses migration toward IGF1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). In these cells, Nck1 binds to IRS-1 (insulin receptor substrate 1) based on immunoprecipitation experiments using anti-Nck and anti-IRS-1 antibodies. In vivo, Nck knockdown suppresses enlargement of the pellet of DiI-labeled preosteoblasts/osteoblasts placed in the calvarial defects. Genetic experiments indicate that conditional double deletion of both Nck1 and Nck2 specifically in osteoblasts causes osteopenia. In these mice, Nck double deficiency suppresses the levels of bone-formation parameters such as bone formation rate in vivo. Interestingly, bone-resorption parameters are not affected. Finally, Nck deficiency suppresses repair of bone injury after bone marrow ablation. These results reveal that Nck regulates preosteoblastic/osteoblastic migration and bone mass.

CIZ/NMP4 (Cas interacting zinc finger protein, Nmp4, Zfp384) is a transcription factor that is known to regulate matrix related-proteins. To explore the possible pathophysiological role of CIZ/NMP4 in arthritis, we examined CIZ/NMP4 expression in articular cartilage in arthritis model. CIZ/NMP4 was expressed in the articular chondrocytes of mice at low levels while its expression was enhanced when arthritis was induced. Arthritis induction increased clinical score in wild type mice. In contrast, CIZ/NMP4 deficiency suppressed such rise in the levels of arthritis score and swelling of soft tissue. CIZ/NMP4 deficiency also reduced invasion of inflammatory cells in joint tissue. Quantitative PCR analyses of mRNA from joints revealed that arthritis-induced increase in expressions of IL-1β was suppressed by CIZ/NMP4 deficiency. CIZ/NMP4 bound to IL-1β promoter and activated its transcription. The increase in CIZ/NMP4 in arthritis was also associated with enhancement in bone resorption and cartilage matrix degradation. In fact, RANKL, a signaling molecule prerequisite for osteoclastogenesis and, MMP-3, a clinical marker for arthritis were increased in joints upon arthritis induction. In contrast, CIZ/NMP4 deficiency suppressed the arthritis-induced increase in bone resorption, expression of RANKL and MMP-3 mRNA. Thus, CIZ/NMP4 plays a role in the development of arthritis at least in part through regulation of key molecules related to the arthritis.

Objective: Apoptosis of chondrocytes in articular cartilage has been observed in rheumatoid arthritis patients. However, molecules involved in such chondrocyte apoptosis in arthritic joints have not been fully understood. We previously observed that apoptosis of chondrocytes is enhanced in a murine arthritis model induced by injection with anti–type II collagen antibodies and lipopolysaccharide (mAbs/LPS), and osteopontin (OPN) deficiency suppresses chondrocyte apoptosis in this arthritis model in vivo. To understand how OPN deficiency renders resistance against chondrocyte apoptosis, we examined the cellular basis for this protection. Design: Chondrocytes were prepared from wild-type and OPN-deficient mouse ribs, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α–induced cell death was examined based on lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay and TUNEL assay. Results: TNF-α treatment induced LDH release in wild-type chondrocytes, while OPN deficiency suppressed such LDH release in the cultures of these cells. TNF-α–induced increase in the number of TUNEL-positive cells was observed in wild-type chondrocytes, while OPN deficiency in chondrocytes suppressed the TNF-α induction of TUNEL-positive cells. OPN deficiency suppressed TNF-α–induced increase in caspase-3 activity in chondrocytes in culture. Furthermore, OPN overexpression in chondrocytes enhanced TNF-α–induced apoptosis. Conclusion: These results indicated that the presence of OPN in chondrocytes is involved in the susceptibility of these cells to TNF-α–induced apoptosis.

We aimed to estimate the number of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) bound by the quantal transmitter packet, their single-channel conductance and their density in the postsynaptic membrane at cerebellar Purkinje cell synapses. The synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPARs were examined in Purkinje cells in 2- to 4-day-old rats, when they receive synaptic inputs solely from climbing fibres (CFs). Evoked CF EPSCs and whole-cell AMPA currents displayed roughly linear current-voltage relationships, consistent with the presence of GluR2 subunits in synaptic and extrasynaptic AMPARs. The mean quantal size, estimated from the miniature EPSCs (MEPSCs), was approximately 300 pS. Peak-scaled non-stationary fluctuation analysis of spontaneous EPSCs and MEPSCs gave a weighted-mean synaptic channel conductance of approximately 5 pS (approximately 7 pS when corrected for filtering). By applying non-stationary fluctuation analysis to extrasynaptic currents activated by brief glutamate pulses (5 mM), we also obtained a small single-channel conductance estimate for extrasynaptic AMPARs (approximately 11 pS). This approach allowed us to obtain a maximum open probability (Po,max) value for the extrasynaptic receptors (Po,max = 0.72). Directly resolved extrasynaptic channel openings in the continued presence of glutamate exhibited clear multiple-conductance levels. The mean area of the postsynaptic density (PSD) of these synapses was 0.074 microm2, measured by reconstructing electron-microscopic (EM) serial sections. Postembedding immunogold labelling by anti-GluR2/3 antibody revealed that AMPARs are localised in PSDs. From these data and by simulating error factors, we estimate that at least 66 AMPARs are bound by a quantal transmitter packet at CF-Purkinje cell synapses, and the receptors are packed at a minimum density of approximately 900 microm-2 in the postsynaptic membrane.

An ion channel's function depends largely on its location and density on neurons. Here we used high-resolution immunolocalization to determine the subcellular distribution of the hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic-nucleotide-gated channel subunit 1 (HCN1) in rat brain. Light microscopy revealed graded HCN1 immunoreactivity in apical dendrites of hippocampal, subicular and neocortical layer-5 pyramidal cells. Quantitative comparison of immunogold densities showed a 60-fold increase from somatic to distal apical dendritic membranes. Distal dendritic shafts had 16 times more HCN1 labeling than proximal dendrites of similar diameters. At the same distance from the soma, the density of HCN1 was significantly higher in dendritic shafts than in spines. Our results reveal the complex cell surface distribution of voltage-gated ion-channels, and predict its role in increasing the computational power of single neurons via subcellular domain and input-specific mechanisms.

Metabotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABA(B)Rs) are involved in modulation of synaptic transmission and activity of cerebellar and thalamic neurons. We used subtype-specific antibodies in pre- and postembedding immunohistochemistry combined with three-dimensional reconstruction of labelled profiles and quantification of immunoparticles to reveal the subcellular distribution of pre- and postsynaptic GABA(B)R1a/b and GABA(B)R2 in the rat cerebellum and ventrobasal thalamus. GABA(B)R1a/b and R2 were extensively colocalized in most brain regions including the cerebellum and thalamus. In the cerebellum, immunoreactivity for both subtypes was prevalent in the molecular layer. The most intense immunoreactivity was found in Purkinje cell spines with a high density of immunoparticles at extrasynaptic sites peaking at around 240 nm from glutamatergic synapses between spines and parallel fibre varicosities. This is in contrast to dendrites at sites around GABAergic synapses where sparse and random distribution was found for both subtypes. In addition, more than one-tenth of the synaptic membrane specialization of spine-parallel fibre synapses were labelled at pre- or postsynaptic sites. Weak immunolabelling for both subtypes was also seen in parallel fibres but only rarely in GABAergic axons. In the ventrobasal thalamus, immunolabelling for both receptor subtypes was intense over the dendritic field of thalamocortical cells. Electron microscopy demonstrated an extrasynaptic localization of GABA(B)R1a/b and R2 exclusively in postsynaptic elements. Quantitative analysis further revealed the density of GABA(B)R1a/b around GABAergic synapses was higher than glutamatergic synapses on thalamocortical cell dendrites. The distinct localization of GABA(B)Rs relative to synaptic sites in the cerebellum and ventrobasal thalamus suggests that GABA(B)Rs differentially regulate activity of different neuronal populations.

Zinc is a trace element in the mammalian body, and increasing evidence shows its critical role in bone development and osteoclastogenesis. The relationships between zinc and voltage-gated ion channels have been reported; however, the effects of zinc on membrane potential and the related ion channels remain unknown. In this study, we found that zinc-induced hyperpolarization in RAW264.7 cells (RAW) was promoted by inhibition of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide modulated channels (HCNs). In electrophysiological experiments with RAW-derived osteoclasts, HCNs were functional and generated hyperpolarization-activated inward currents (Ih) with properties similar to the Ih recorded in excitable cells such as neurons and cardiomyocytes. Quantitative PCR of HCN subunits HCN1 and HCN4 in RAW cells showed detectable levels of HCN1 mRNA and HCN4 expression was the highest of all four subunits. HCN4 knockdown decreased osteoclastic Ih and promoted osteoclastogenesis in the presence of zinc, but not in the absence of zinc. To determine the effect of membrane hyperpolarization on osteoclastogenesis, we developed a light-controllable membrane potential system in RAW cells by stably expressing the light-driven outward proton pump, Archaerhodopsin3 (Arch). Arch activation by yellow-green light hyperpolarizes the cell membrane. Light-induced hyperpolarization accelerated osteoclast differentiation in the presence of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL). Thus, HCN activation reduced the hyperpolarization-related promotion of osteoclast differentiation in the presence of zinc. This study revealed the novel role of HCN and membrane potential in non-excitable osteoclasts.

Osteoclastogenesis is under the control of posttranscriptional and transcriptional events. However, posttranscriptional regulation of osteoclastogenesis is incompletely understood. CNOT3 is a component of the CCR4 family that regulates mRNA stability, but its function in bone is not known. Here, we show that Cnot3 deficiency by deletion of a single allele induces osteoporosis. Cnot3 deficiency causes an enhancement in bone resorption in association with an elevation in bone formation, resulting in high-turnover type bone loss. At the cellular level, Cnot3 deficiency enhances receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) effects on osteoclastogenesis in a cell-autonomous manner. Conversely, Cnot3 deficiency does not affect osteoblasts directly. Cnot3 deficiency does not alter RANKL expression but enhances receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) mRNA expression in bone in vivo. Cnot3 deficiency promotes RANK mRNA stability about twofold in bone marrow cells of mice. Cnot3 knockdown also increases RANK mRNA expression in the precursor cell line for osteoclasts. Anti-CNOT3 antibody immunoprecipitates RANK mRNA. Cnot3 deficiency stabilizes luciferase reporter expression linked to the 3′-UTR fragment of RANK mRNA. In contrast, Cnot3 overexpression destabilizes the luciferase reporter linked to RANK 3′-UTR. In aged mice that exhibit severe osteoporosis, Cnot3 expression levels in bone are reduced about threefold in vivo. Surprisingly, Cnot3 deficiency in these aged mice further exacerbates osteoporosis, which also occurs via enhancement of osteoclastic activity. Our results reveal that CNOT3 is a critical regulator of bone mass acting on bone resorption through posttranscriptional down-regulation of RANK mRNA stability, at least in part, even in aging-induced osteoporosis.

Bone development is a dynamic process that requires cell motility and morphological adaptation under the control of actin cytoskeleton. This actin cytoskeleton system is regulated by critical modulators including actin-binding proteins. Among them, profilin1 (Pfn1) is a key player to control actin fiber structure, and it is involved in a number of cellular activities such as migration. During the early phase of body development, skeletal stem cells and osteoblastic progenitor cells migrate to form initial rudiments for future skeletons. During this migration, these cells extend their process based on actin cytoskeletal rearrangement to locate themselves in an appropriate location within microenvironment. However, the role of Pfn1 in regulation of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) during skeletal development is incompletely understood. Here we examined the role of Pfn1 in skeletal development using a genetic ablation of Pfn1 in MPCs by using Prx1-Cre recombinase. We found that Pfn1 deficiency in MPCs caused complete cleft sternum. Notably, Pfn1-deficient mice exhibited an absence of trabecular bone in the marrow space of appendicular long bone. This phenotype is location-specific, as Pfn1 deficiency did not largely affect osteoblasts in cortical bone. Pfn1 deficiency also suppressed longitudinal growth of long bone. In vitro, Pfn1 deficiency induced retardation of osteoblastic cell migration. These observations revealed that Pfn1 is a critical molecule for the skeletal development, and this could be at least in part associated with the retardation of cell migration.

Tumor metastasis to bone is a serious pathological situation that causes severe pain, and deterioration in locomoter function. However, the mechanisms underlying tumor metastasis is still incompletely understood. CIZ/NMP4 is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein and its roles in tumor cells have not been known. We, therefore, hypothesized the role of CIZ/NMP4 in B16 melanoma cells that metastasize to bone. CIZ/NMP4 is expressed in B16 cells. The CIZ/NMP4 expression levels are correlated to the metastatic activity in divergent types of melanoma cells. Overexpression of CIZ/NMP4 increased B16 cell migration in Trans-well assay. Conversely, siRNA-based knockdown of CIZ/NMP4 suppressed migratory activity of these cells. As RANKL promotes metastasis of tumor cells in bone, we tested its effect on CIZ in melanoma cells. RANKL treatment enhanced CIZ/NMP4 expression. This increase of CIZ by RANKL promoted migration. Conversely, we identified CIZ/NMP4 binding site in the promoter of RANKL. Furthermore, luciferase assay indicated that CIZ/NMP4 overexpression enhanced RANKL promoter activities, revealing a positive feedback loop of CIZ/NMP4 and RANKL in melanoma. These observations indicate that CIZ/NMP4 is critical regulator of metastasis of melanoma cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 2807–2812, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

In osteoclasts, elevation of extracellular Ca2+ is an endogenous signal that inhibits bone resorption. We recently found that an elevation of extracellular Ca2+ decreased proton extrusion through the plasma membrane vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) rapidly. In this study we investigated mechanisms underlying this early Ca2+-sensing response, particularly in reference to the activity of the plasma membrane V-ATPase and to membrane retrieval. Whole cell clamp recordings allowed us to measure the V-ATPase currents and the cell capacitance ( Cm) simultaneously. Cm is a measure of cell surface. Extracellular Ca2+ (2.5–40 mM) decreased Cm and the V-ATPase current simultaneously. The decreased Cm, together with the enhanced uptake of a lipophilic dye (FM1–43), indicated that Ca2+ facilitated endocytosis. The endocytosis was blocked by dynamin inhibitors (dynasore and dynamin-inhibitory peptide), by small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting for dynanmin-2 and also by bafilomycin A1, a blocker of V-ATPases. The extracellular Ca2+-induced endocytosis and inhibition of the V-ATPase current were diminished by a phospholipase C inhibitor (U73122) and siRNA targeting for phospholipase C γ2 subunit. Holding the cytosolic Ca2+ at either high (0.5–5 μM) or low levels or inhibiting calmodulin by an inhibitor (W7) or an antibody (anti-CaM) decreased the stimulated endocytosis and the inhibition of the V-ATPase current. These data suggest that extracellular Ca2+ facilitated dynamin- and V-ATPase-dependent endocytosis in association with an inhibition of the plasma membrane V-ATPase. Phospholipase C, cytosolic Ca2+, and calmodulin were involved in the signaling pathways. Membrane retrieval and the plasma membrane V-ATPase activity may cooperate during the early phase of Ca2+-sensing response in osteoclasts.

Hyperpolarization-activated cation currents (I(h)) contribute to various physiological properties and functions in the brain, including neuronal pacemaker activity, setting of resting membrane potential, and dendritic integration of synaptic input. Four subunits of the Hyperpolarization-activated and Cyclic-Nucleotide-gated nonselective cation channels (HCN1-4), which generate I(h), have been cloned recently. To better understand the functional diversity of I(h) in the brain, we examined precise immunohistochemical localization of four HCNs in the rat brain. Immunoreactivity for HCN1 showed predominantly cortical distribution, being intense in the neocortex, hippocampus, superior colliculus, and cerebellum, whereas those for HCN3 and HCN4 exhibited subcortical distribution mainly concentrated in the hypothalamus and thalamus, respectively. Immunoreactivity for HCN2 had a widespread distribution throughout the brain. Double immunofluorescence revealed colocalization of immunoreactivity for HCN1 and HCN2 in distal dendrites of pyramidal cells in the hippocampus and neocortex. At the electron microscopic level, immunogold particles for HCN1 and HCN2 had similar distribution patterns along plasma membrane of dendritic shafts in layer I of the neocortex and stratum lacunosum moleculare of the hippocampal CA1 area, suggesting that these subunits could form heteromeric channels. Our results further indicate that HCNs are localized not only in somato-dendritic compartments but also in axonal compartments of neurons. Immunoreactivity for HCNs often occurred in preterminal rather than terminal portions of axons and in specific populations of myelinated axons. We also found HCN2-immunopositive oligodendrocytes including perineuronal oligodendrocytes throughout the brain. These results support previous electrophysiological findings and further suggest unexpected roles of I(h) channels in the brain.