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I L-4, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, inhibits osteoclast differentiation, but the basis of this effect has been unclear. Osteoclastogenesis requires activation of RANK, which exerts its biologic effect via activation of NF-κB. NF-κB activation is manifested by nuclear translocation and binding to DNA, events secondary to phosphorylation and dissociation of IκBα. It is shown here that IL-4 reduces NF-κB nuclear translocation by inhibiting IκB phosphorylation, thus markedly inhibiting NF-κB DNA binding activity and blocking osteoclastogenesis entirely. Residual translocation of NF-κB in the presence of IL-4, however, suggests that nuclear mechanisms must primarily account for inhibition of NF-κB DNA binding and blockade of osteoclastogenesis. To address this issue, this study examined whether IL-4–induced STAT6 transcription factor blocks NF-κB transactivation. The results show that excess unlabeled consensus sequence STAT6, but not its mutated form, inhibits NF-κB binding. Furthermore, exogenously added STAT6 protein inhibits NF-κB/DNA interaction. Further supporting a role for STAT6 in this process are the findings that IL-4 fails to block osteoclastogenesis in STAT6^–/– mice but that this blockade can be restored with addition of exogenous STAT6. Thus, IL-4 obliterates osteoclast differentiation by antagonizing NF-κB activation in a STAT6-dependent manner.