Regulation of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-4 protease activity by estrogen and parathyroid hormone in SaOS-2 cells: implications for the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

The cellular mechanisms involved in the accelerated bone loss occurring in association with estrogen deprivation as seen following the menopause are not fully understood. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is the local regulator of osteoblasts and one of its binding proteins, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4), binds to IGF-I and suppresses biological activity. Previous studies have shown that the binding activity of IGFBP-4 in the conditioned medium of parathyroid hormone (PTH)-treated SaOS-2 osteoblastic-like cells is enhanced twofold and that this PTH-enhanced IGFBP-4 binding activity is abolished by 17 beta-estradiol. Levels of IGFBP-4 in the conditioned medium have been reported to be regulated not only at the level of production but also at the level of degradation which is catalyzed by a protease that specifically cleaves IGFBP-4. We have, therefore, studied the effects of 17 beta-estradiol and PTH on IGFBP-4 protease activity using SaOS-2 cells. SaOS-2 cells produce a protease that specifically cleaves IGFBP-4 into two fragments of approximately 18 and 14 kilodaltons. IGFBP-4 protease activity in the conditioned medium from PTH-treated cells was suppressed, while this PTH-induced suppression of protease activity was reversed by the addition of 17 beta-estradiol to the cultures. IGFBP-4 proteolytic activity was stimulated by IGF-I or IGF-II added exogenously and was inhibited by EDTA or protease inhibitors. IGFBP-4 proteolyzed in the conditioned medium from cells treated with PTH and 17 beta-estradiol was less effective at inhibiting IGF-I-stimulated [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA compared with that proteolyzed in the conditioned medium from PTH-treated cells. The simplest explanation is that 17 beta-estradiol suppressed the inhibitory effect of PTH on osteoblastic activity by inhibiting the PTH-induced suppression of IGFBP-4 protease activity.