Published online before print December 18, 2008

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(American Journal of Pathology. 2009;174:123-135.)
© 2009 American Society for Investigative Pathology
DOI: 10.2353/ajpath.2009.080484

WNT/β-Catenin Signaling Is Involved in Regulation of Osteoclast Differentiation by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Protease Inhibitor Ritonavir

Relationship to Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Linked Bone Mineral Loss

Rozbeh Modarresi^*, Zhaoying Xiang, Michael Yin and Jeffrey Laurence^*

From the Division of Hematology-Oncology^* and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York; and the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York

Untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is accompanied by reduced bone mineral density, which appears to be exacerbated by certain HIV protease inhibitors (PIs). The mechanisms leading to this apparent paradox, however, remain unclear. We have previously shown that, the HIV envelope glycoprotein gp120 used at levels similar those in plasmas of untreated HIV⁺ patients, induced expression of the osteoclast (OC) differentiation factor RANKL in CD4+ T cells. In addition, the HIV PI ritonavir abrogated the interferon--mediated degradation of the RANKL nuclear adapter protein TRAF6, a physiological block to RANKL activity. Here, using oligonucleotide microarrays and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we explored potential upstream mechanisms for these effects. Ritonavir, but not the HIV PIs indinavir or nelfinavir, up-regulated the production of transcripts for OC growth factors and the non-canonical Wnt Proteins 5B and 7B as well as activated promoters of nuclear factor-B signaling, but suppressed genes involved in canonical Wnt signaling. Similarly, ritonavir blocked the cytoplasmic to nuclear translocation of β-catenin, the molecular node of the Wnt signaling pathway, in association with enhanced β-catenin ubiquitination. Exposure of OC precursors to LiCl, an inhibitor of the canonical Wnt antagonist GSK-3β, suppressed OC differentiation, as did adenovirus-mediated overexpression of β-catenin. These data identify, for the first time, a biologically relevant role for Wnt signaling via β-catenin in isolated OC precursors and the modulation of Wnt signaling by ritonavir. The reversal of these ritonavir-mediated changes by interferon- provides a model for possible intervention in this metabolic complication of HIV therapy.