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It is likely that immune cells in the bone marrow produce factors which are involved in the local control of bone remodeling. Immune cell products such as interleukin-1 and the tumor necrosis factors are potent stimulators of bone resorption in vitro. In this paper, we have studied the effects of recombinant murine interferon-gamma on bone resorption stimulated by these agents and the systemic calcium-regulating hormones 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 and parathyroid hormone. We found that interferon-gamma completely abolished bone resorption stimulated by the cytokines interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor alpha and tumor necrosis factor beta. In contrast, parathyroid hormone- and 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D3-stimulated bone resorption were not significantly affected by the addition of interferon-gamma under the same conditions. Parathyroid hormone-stimulated bone resorption was inhibited slightly when larger concentrations of interferon-gamma were used for more prolonged periods. The inhibitory effects on cytokine-stimulated bone resorption occurred at interferon concentrations of 100 U/ml (half-maximal) to 300 U/ml (complete inhibition). This relatively selective inhibition of cytokine-stimulated bone resorption by an immune cell product may have physiological significance in the local control of trabecular bone volume and bone remodeling.
Gowen et al. (Wed,) studied this question.