A simple protein may be a key instigator in the breakdown of bone that leads to osteoporosis and several inflammatory joint diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
A team of scientists at the University of Central Florida, led by Pappachan Kolattukudy, conducted a series of experiments with human bone marrow-derived cells. They found the protein MCPIP (Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 Induced Protein) plays a major role in the formation of osteoclasts, the cell type that 麻豆精品 S檚 directly responsible for bone breakdown.
Kolattukudy 麻豆精品 S檚 findings are published in today 麻豆精品 S檚 issue of the
About one in five American women over the age of 50 have osteoporosis, a disease that thins bone tissue and causes loss of bone density, leading to a higher risk of fractures.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects about 1.3 million Americans every year. It is caused by joint inflammation, and researchers now suspect the disease also begins damaging bone during its first year.
The protein – MCPIP – is linked to both.
Kolattukudy and his team first identified MCPIP in 2006 when they discovered that the protein contributes to heart disease. Three years later, they found that MCPIP also plays a role in controlling the body 麻豆精品 S檚 fat-building process and new blood vessel formation.
This latest research shows that MCIP also is linked to inflammation, which disrupts a body 麻豆精品 S檚 proper balance and leads to bone and other health problems.
麻豆精品 S淏one loss (by osteoclasts) and bone building (by osteoblasts) happen all the time, 麻豆精品 S� Kolattukudy said.聽 麻豆精品 S淚nflammation turns the balance toward bone loss. 麻豆精品 S�
Scientists already knew that another protein – Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1) – played a role in the development of osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone.
But Kolattukudy 麻豆精品 S檚 lab has now found that MCPIP is a key player in controlling whether cells build or lose bone. This discovery opens up potential new therapeutic targets for fighting the debilitating diseases caused by bone loss.
Kolattukudy, director of the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences at UCF led a team that also includes Kangkai Wang, Jianli Niu and Hyunbae Kim all of UCF.