Sialylation of cell surface glycoconjugates is essential for osteoclastogenesis

Sialic acid, which is located at the end of the carbohydrate moiety of cell surface glycoconjugates, is involved in many biologic responses, such as intercellular reactions and virus–cell fusion, especially in hematopoietic cells. Here we provide experimental evidence that the sialic acid of cell surface glycoconjugates has a role in osteoclast differentiation. Lectin histochemical study demonstrated the existence of both alpha (2,3)-linked-sialic acid and alpha (2,6)-linked-sialic acid in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages and in the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line, which are osteoclast precursors. Flow cytometric analysis of surface lectin staining revealed the kinetics of these sialic acids during osteoclastogenesis: alpha (2,3)-linked-sialic acid was abundantly expressed throughout osteoclastogenesis, whereas alpha (2,6)-linked-sialic acid levels declined at the terminal stage of osteoclast differentiation. To investigate the role of sialic acid in osteoclast differentiation, we performed an osteoclastogenesis assay with or without exogenous sialidase treatment. Desialylated cells formed TRAP-positive mononuclear cells, but did not become multinuclear cells despite the normal expression of osteoclast markers such as cathepsin K, integrin β3, and nuclear factor-ATc1. Flow cytometric analysis also demonstrated that exogenous sialidase effectively removed alpha (2,6)-linked-sialic acid, but only slightly changed the alpha (2,3)-linked-sialic acid content, suggesting that alpha (2,6)-linked-sialic acid might be involved in osteoclast differentiation. Findings from knockdown analysis using small interfering RNA oligonucleotides against alpha 2,6-sialyltransferase support this idea: alpha (2,6)-linked-sialic acid-deficient cells markedly inhibit the formation of multinuclear osteoclasts. Our findings suggest that alpha (2,6)-linked-sialic acid of cell surface glycoconjugates has a role in osteoclast differentiation, possibly via its role in the cell–cell fusion process.