Inhibition of RANKL-dependent cellular fusion in pre-osteoclasts by amiloride and a NHE10-specific monoclonal antibody

The functions of Na⁺/H⁺ exchangers (NHEs) during osteoclastic differentiation were investigated using the NHE inhibitor amiloride and a monoclonal antibody (MAb). Compared with sRANKL-stimulated control cells, amiloride decreased the number of large TRAP-positive osteoclast cells (OCs) with ≥10 nuclei and increased the number of small TRAP-positive OCs with ≤10 nuclei during sRANKL-dependent osteoclastic differentiation of RAW264.7 cells. NHE10 mRNA expression and OC differentiation markers were increased by sRANKL stimulation in dose- and time-dependent manners. NHEs 1-9 mRNA expression was not increased by sRANKL stimulation. Similar to amiloride, a rat anti-mouse NHE10 MAb (clone 6B11) decreased the number of large TRAP-positive OCs, but increased the number of small TRAP-positive OCs. These findings suggested that inhibition of NHEs by amiloride or an anti-NHE10 MAb prevented sRANKL-promoted cellular fusion. The anti-NHE10 MAb has the potential for use as an effective inhibitor of bone resorption for targeted bone disease therapy.