Inhibition of experimental bone resorption and osteoclast formation and survival by 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid

It is known that bone resorption is mediated by osteoclasts, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) and prostaglandin E-2 (PGE(2)) induce osteoclast differentiation from haemopoietic cells, 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid, which is known as taurine, is an important nutrient and is added to most synthetic human infant milk formulas. In this study, it was found that 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid inhibits the stimulation of bone resorption mediated by LPS of the periodontopathic microorganism Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Y4 in organ cultures of newborn mouse calvaria. The effect of 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid on the development and survival of osteoclast-like multinucleated cells produced in a mouse bone-marrow culture system was also examined. 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid (100 mu g/ml) suppressed the formation of these osteoclastlike cells in the presence of LPS of A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4, IL-1 alpha or PGE(2) in mouse marrow cultures. On the other hand, 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid did not inhibit 1 alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3-mediated osteoclast differentiation. Although IL-1 alpha elongated the survival of the osteoclast-like cells, 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid blocked the supportive effect of IL-1 alpha on osteoclast survival. 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid showed no effect on the growth of mouse osteoblasts. Finally, it was found that 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid inhibited alveolar bone resorption in experimental periodontitis in hamsters. These results suggest that 2-aminoethanesulphonic acid is an effective agent in preventing inflammatory bone resorption in periodontal diseases. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.