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Development of a Human Preclinical Model of Osteoclastogenesis from Peripheral Blood Monocytes Co-cultured with Breast Cancer Cell Lines

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Osteocytes and Cancer.

Fabrizio Pin¹, Matt Prideaux^1,2, Lynda F Bonewald^1,3,2

¹Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Current Osteoporosis Reports

|November 13, 2021

Summary

Osteocytes, bone cells, play a complex role in cancer, influencing its spread and progression. New research shows osteocytes respond to distant tumors even without bone metastasis, suggesting new therapeutic targets.

Keywords:

Bone metastasis Cancer Non-bone metastatic cancer Osteocytes Osteocytic osteolysis

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Area of Science:

Bone Biology
Cancer Metastasis
Cellular Interactions

Background:

Osteocyte function is well-defined in physiological states.
Their role in cancer, particularly non-bone metastasis, is under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

To review advanced knowledge on osteocyte-cancer interactions.
To discuss osteocyte involvement in osteosarcoma and multiple myeloma.
To examine mechanisms of cancer bone dissemination and osteocyte roles.

Main Methods:

Literature review of osteocyte-cancer interactions.
Analysis of osteocyte involvement in various bone cancers.
Presentation of recent findings on osteocyte response to distant tumors.

Main Results:

Osteocytes are implicated in osteosarcoma and multiple myeloma.
Mechanisms of cancer spread to bone are reviewed.
Conflicting roles reported: cancer cell stimulation vs. protective effects.
Osteocytes respond to distant tumors even without bone metastasis.

Conclusions:

The role of osteocytes in cancer progression and dissemination is complex and ambiguous.
Osteocytes in the bone microenvironment respond to distant, non-metastatic tumors.
Preserving osteocytes may offer novel therapeutic strategies in oncology.