An Osteoclastic Transmembrane Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase Enhances Osteoclast Activity in Part by Dephosphorylating EphA4 in Osteoclasts

We have previously shown that PTP-oc is an enhancer of the functional activity of osteoclasts and that EphA4 is a suppressor. Here, we provide evidence that PTP-oc enhances osteoclast activity in part through inactivation of EphA4 by dephosphorylating key phosphotyrosine (pY) residues of EphA4. We show that EphA4 was pulled down by the PTP-oc trapping mutant but not by the wild-type (WT) PTP-oc and that transgenic overexpression of PTP-oc in osteoclasts drastically decreased pY602 and pY779 residues of EphA4. Consistent with the previous findings that EphA4 deficiency increased pY173-Vav3 level (Rac-GTP exchange factor [GEF]) and enhanced bone resorption activity of osteoclasts, reintroduction of WT-Epha4 in Epha4 null osteoclasts led to ∼50% reduction in the pY173-Vav3 level and ∼2-fold increase in bone resorption activity. Overexpression of Y779F-Epha4 mutant in WT osteoclasts markedly increased in pY173-Vav3 and reduced bone resorption activity, but overexpression of Y602F-Epha4 mutant had no effect, suggesting that pY779 residue plays an important role in the EphA4-mediated suppression of osteoclast activity. Deficient EphA4 in osteoclasts has been shown to up-regulate Rac-GTPase and down-regulate Rho-GTPase. PTP-oc overexpression in osteoclasts also increased the GTP-Rac level to 300% of controls, but decreased the GTP-Rho level to ∼50% of controls. PTP-oc overexpression or deficient Epha4 each also reduced pY87-Ephexin level, which is a Rho GEF. Thus, PTP-oc may differentially regulate Rac signaling versus Rho signaling through dephosphorylation of EphA4, which has shown to have opposing effects on Rac-GTPase versus Rho-GTPase through differential regulation of Vav3 versus Ephexin. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1785-1796, 2015.