Osteoclasts modulate the balance between immunosuppression and inflammation through antigen presentation and interactions with CD4+ T cells

Background Osteoclasts (OCLs) are bone resorbing cells derived from the monocyte lineage (MN-OCLs) in steady state special. We have shown that in vivo, dendritic cells can differentiate into OCLs (DC-OCLs) and this mechanism requires the presence of inflammatory CD4 T cells. Recent studies have suggested that MN-OCLs could modulate T cells. Our aim was to better characterize the effect of OCLs on T cells and in particular to compare both OCL subsets (DC-OCLs and MN-OCLs) in terms of antigen presentation and T cell activation.