Expression data from Dmp1-GFP sorted osteocytes. Mus musculus

Estrogens are well known steroid hormones necessary to maintain bone health. In addition, mechanical loading, which estrogen signaling may intersect with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, is also essential for bone health. As osteocytes are known as the major mechanosensory cells embedded in mineralized bone matrix, osteocyte ERα deletion mice (ERαΔOcy/ΔOcy) were generated by mating ERα floxed mice with Dmp1-Cre mice to determine functions of ERα in osteocytes. Trabecular bone mineral density of female, but not male ERαΔOcy/ΔOcy mice was significantly decreased. Bone formation parameters in ERαΔOcy/ΔOcy were significantly decreased while osteoclast parameters were unchanged. This suggests that ERα in osteocytes exerts osteoprotective function by positively controlling bone formation. To identify potential targets of ERα, gene array analysis of Dmp1-GFP osteocytes FACS sorted from ERαΔOcy/ΔOcy and control mice was performed. Expression of Mdk and Sostdc1, both known inhibitors of Wnt, were significantly increased without alteration of the mature osteocyte marker Sost or β-catenin. Hindlimb unloading exacerbated the trabecular bone loss, but surprisingly cortical bone was resistant. These studies show that ERα in osteocytes has osteoprotective effects in trabecular bone through regulating expression of Wnt antagonists, but conversely plays a negative role in cortical bone loss due to unloading. Overall design: Wild type and osteocyte-specific Estrogen Receptor alpha knock-out mice were generated. The number of both genotypes of mice was three. Calvarial osteocytes of both genotypes harboring Dmp1-GFP were extracted by sequential enzymatic digestion, followed by FACS Aria sorting and total RNAs were purified for Affymetix GeneChip microarray analysis without pooling.