HuR Knockdown in MLO-Y4 Osteocyte-like Cells Elevates OPG Expression and Suppresses Osteoclastogenesis In Vitro

Bone remodeling is maintained through the coordinated actions of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes, among which osteocytes serve as major regulators of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption through the receptor activator of the nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-osteoprotegerin (OPG) signaling axis. While molecular signals regulating osteocytic RANKL-OPG expression are fairly understood, how post-transcriptional mechanisms impact osteocyte function remains poorly defined. HuR (human antigen R) encoded by Elavl1 (embryonic lethal abnormal vision-like 1), a ubiquitously expressed RNA-binding protein, is known for stabilizing AU-rich element-containing transcripts involved in inflammatory and stress responses; however, its role in osteocyte-derived bone resorption is unknown. In this study, we examined the effect of HuR loss on osteocyte-osteoclastogenesis. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated HuR knockdown in MLO-Y4 osteocyte-like cells resulted in a significant increase in OPG mRNA and its protein expression, whereas RANKL levels remained unchanged, leading to a significantly reduced RANKL/OPG ratio. Both co-culture and conditioned-medium assays demonstrated that HuR-deficient osteocytes produced a markedly diminished osteoclastogenic environment. Actinomycin D chase experiments showed no alteration in OPG mRNA decay kinetics, and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP)-PCR failed to detect HuR-OPG interactions, indicating that HuR regulates OPG expression through indirect mechanisms rather than mRNA binding. These findings identify HuR as an indirect regulator of osteocyte-derived OPG expression that impacts osteoclast differentiation and reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism by which HuR contributes to bone remodeling.