Inhibition of bone resorption in vitro by a peptide containing the cadherin cell adhesion recognition sequence HAV is due to prevention of sealing zone formation.

Cadherins are transmembrane glycoproteins usually mediating homophilic calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion in a variety of cells and species. All classical cadherins share common structural and functional properties, one of which is the cell adhesion recognition (CAR) sequence HAV (His-Ala-Val). In the present work we have studied the effects of the cadherin CAR sequence-containing hexapeptide AHAVSE on osteoclasts, the main bone resorbing cells in well-characterized pit formation assay. The primary attachment of osteoclasts to bone surface is not affected by the peptide, suggesting that it is not mediated by cadherins. However, treatment of osteoclast cultures with AHAVSE peptide decreased the number of resorption pits and the total resorbed area without affecting the mean size of resorption pits. Furthermore, we show rapid inactivation of osteoclasts with AHAVSE, which is seen as a decrease in the percentage of osteoclasts with actin rings. Double staining of pan-cadherin antibody with actin and vinculin localized cadherin-like molecule in the sealing zone area of osteoclasts. These results suggest that the tight attachment of osteoclasts to the bone surface in the sealing zone area may be mediated by cadherin-like molecules and that the decrease of resorption in AHAVSE-treated osteoclast cultures is due to prevention of sealing zone formation.