Role of carbonic anhydrase in bone resorption: effect of acetazolamide on basal and parathyroid hormone-induced bone metabolism

The effects of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamide on basal and parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced bone metabolism were studied to evaluate the manner in which acetazolamide inhibits bone resorption. Half-calvaria from 5 to 6-day-old mice were cultured using the following treatments: control; acetazolamide (10, 33, or 100 microM); PTH (16.7 nM bovine PTH 1-34); acetazolamide + PTH. The effects of acetazolamide on PTH-induced cAMP accumulation and protein synthesis were determined. Media from bones cultured for 48 hours were analyzed for calcium to assess bone resorption, glucose to assess calvarial glucose utilization, and lactic acid to assess calvarial lactic acid release. Media were also assayed for beta-glucuronidase activity as an indicator of lysosomal enzyme release and for lactate dehydrogenase activity as an indicator of cytosolic enzyme release and cytotoxicity. Acetazolamide at 100 microM completely inhibited PTH-induced bone resorption. This inhibition did not appear to be due to cell death, as acetazolamide did not increase lactate dehydrogenase release. Acetazolamide had no effect on PTH-enhanced cAMP levels, indicating that receptor binding and adenylate cyclase activation were unaffected. Acetazolamide alone did not alter calvarial protein synthesis, but did significantly inhibit protein synthesis in the presence of PTH. PTH significantly enhanced calvarial glucose utilization, lactic acid release, and beta-glucuronidase release. Acetazolamide inhibited all of these PTH-induced parameters in a manner that roughly paralleled its inhibition of bone resorption; acetazolamide alone had no effect on the basal values. Our results indicate that acetazolamide inhibition of bone resorption in vitro may involve general alterations in hormonally stimulated bone cell metabolism secondary to carbonic anhydrase inhibition.