Bone formation is coupled to bone resorption throughout life. However, the coupling mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Using Tnfrsf11b-deficient (OPG ) mice, in which bone formation is clearly coupled to bone resorption, we found here that osteoclasts suppress the expression of sclerostin, a Wnt antagonist, thereby promoting bone formation. Wnt/β-catenin signals were higher in OPG and RANKL-transgenic mice with a low level of sclerostin. Conditioned medium from osteoclast cultures (Ocl-CM) suppressed sclerostin expression in UMR106 cells and osteocyte cultures. In vitro experiments revealed that osteoclasts secreted leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and inhibited sclerostin expression. Anti-RANKL antibodies, antiresorptive agents, suppressed LIF expression and increased sclerostin expression, thereby reducing bone formation in OPG mice. Taken together, osteoclast-derived LIF regulates bone turnover through sclerostin expression. Thus, LIF represents a target for improving the prolonged suppression of bone turnover by antiresorptive agents. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Published by Wiley Periodicals Inc.