
Soluble RANKL promotes the formation of tumour metastasis in bone.
Soluble RANKL is physiologically dispensable but accelerates tumour metastasis to bone.
Asano T. et al., Nat. Metab. 2019, 1: 868–875.
Data from a study by Asano et al. suggest that membrane-bound RANKL is sufficient for most physiological RANKL functions. By contrast, soluble RANKL specifically contributes to bone metastasis by exerting a chemotactic activity in tumour cells expressing RANK thus attracting them to the bone.
Therefore, measurement of the serum RANKL level may help to identify patients who have a high risk of developing bone metastasis and inhibiting soluble RANKL alone may lead to the development of a new therapeutic strategy.
RANKL can easily be measured in serum:
√ HIGH SENSITIVITY – measurable concentrations in healthy subjects
√ Only ELISA that measures free uncomplexed soluble RANKL
√ CE-marked – widely cited in clinical studies
Also available:
OPG ELISA – most referenced
Learn more: RANKL biology: bone metabolism, the immune system, and beyond.
Ono T. et al., Inflamm. Regen. 2020; 40: 2. Full text