Cysteine proteinases and matrix metalloproteinases play distinct roles in the subosteoclastic resorption zone.

Digestion of calvarial bone by osteoclasts depends on the activity of cysteine proteinases and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). It is unknown, however, whether these enzymes act simultaneously or in a certain (time) sequence. In the present study, this was investigated by culturing mouse calvarial bone explants for various time intervals in the presence or absence of selective low molecular weight inhibitors of cysteine proteinases (E-64, Z-Phe-Tyr(O-t-Bu)CHN2 or CA074[Me]) and MMPs (CI-1, CT1166, or RP59794). The explants were morphometrically analyzed at the electron microscopic level. All proteinase inhibitors induced large areas of nondigested demineralized bone matrix adjacent to the ruffled border of actively resorbing osteoclasts. The appearance of these areas proved to be time dependent. In the presence of the cysteine proteinase inhibitors, a maximal surface area of demineralized bone was seen between 4 and 8 h of culturing, whereas the metalloproteinase inhibitors had their maximal effect at a later time interval (between 16 and 24 h). Because different inhibitors of each of the two classes of proteolytic enzymes had the same effects, our data strongly suggest that cysteine proteinases attack the bone matrix prior to digestion by MMPs. In line with the view that a sequence may exist were differences in the amount of proteoglycans (shown with the selective dye cuprolinic blue) in the subosteoclastic demineralized areas induced by the inhibitors. In the presence of the cysteine proteinase inhibitor, relatively high levels of cuprolinic blue precipitates were found, whereas this was less following inhibition of metalloproteinases. These data suggested that cysteine proteinases are important for digestion of noncollagenous proteins. We propose the following sequence in the digestion of calvarial bone by osteoclasts: after attachment of the cell to the mineralized surface an area with a low pH is created which results in dissolution of the mineral, then cysteine proteinases, active at such a low pH, digest part of the bone matrix, and finally, when the pH has increased somewhat, MMPs exert their activity.