The murine glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor is essential for control of bone resorption

Gastrointestinal hormones including gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1, and GLP-2 are secreted immediately after meal ingestion, and GIP and GLP-2 have been shown to regulate bone turnover. We hypothesize that endogenous GLP-1 may also be important for control of skeletal homeostasis. We investigated the role of GLP-1 in the regulation of bone metabolism using GLP-1 receptor knockout (Glp-1r(-/-)) mice. A combination of bone density and histomorphometry, osteoclast activation studies, biochemical analysis of calcium and PTH, and RNA analysis was used to characterize bone and mineral homeostasis in Glp-1r(-/-) and Glp-1r(+/+) littermate controls. Glp-1r(-/-) mice have cortical osteopenia and bone fragility by bone densitometry as well as increased osteoclastic numbers and bone resorption activity by bone histomorphometry. Although GLP-1 had no direct effect on osteoclasts and osteoblasts, Glp-1r(-/-) mice exhibited higher levels of urinary deoxypyridinoline, a marker of bone resorption, and reduced levels of calcitonin mRNA transcripts in the thyroid. Moreover, calcitonin treatment effectively suppressed urinary levels of deoxypyridinoline in Glp-1r(-/-), mice and the GLP-1 receptor agonist exendin-4 increased calcitonin gene expression in the thyroid of wild-type mice. These findings establish an essential role for endogenous GLP-1 receptor signaling in the control of bone resorption, likely through a calcitonin-dependent pathway.