The Effect of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor on Bone in Vivo

The local effects of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on bone turnover in vivo have been examined. Recombinant murine LIF (0.2 micrograms) or vehicle was injected daily for 5 days over the right hemicalvaria, and the mice were killed on day 6 or 13. Effects on calvarial bone morphology were assessed using quantitative histomorphometry of nondecalcified bone tissue. Increased bone resorption was present in LIF-treated hemicalvaria compared with that in the noninjected hemicalvaria or calvaria from mice injected with vehicle alone at both 6 and 13 days. Significant increases in LIF-treated animals were as follows. Eroded surface increased 10-fold (P = 0.022), osteoclast surface increased 5-fold (P = 0.003), osteoclast numbers increased 3-fold (P = 0.002), and the number of osteoclast nuclei increased 3-fold (P = 0.009). Fibrotic tissue was laid down in the resorption defects, and there was an accompanying thickening of the periosteum (3 times greater in LIF-injected animals; P = 0.003), causing the overall thickness of the treated bones to be almost doubled (P = 0.045). Indices of bone formation were increased in animals treated with LIF. Osteoblast numbers, osteoblast surface, and osteoid area were doubled (P = 0.012, 0.016, and 0.058, respectively). Similar effects of LIF were seen in indomethacin-treated animals. Small but statistically significant morphological changes were also seen in the left noninjected hemicalvariae when LIF-treated animals were compared to controls. LIF increased periosteal area (P = 0.01) and total mineralized bone area (P = 0.002). In conclusion, LIF accelerated bone turnover locally in a prostaglandin-independent manner in normal mice, demonstrating its potential to modify in vivo bone cell function dramatically.