New research on structure of bones raises questions for treatment of osteoporosis

Researchers have discovered that the structure of human bones is vastly different than previously believed – findings which will have implications for how some debilitating bone disorders are treated.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge, the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, and the BAM Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, have discovered that the characteristic toughness and stiffness of bone is predominantly due to the presence of specialized sugars, not proteins, as had been previous believed. Their findings could have sweeping impacts on treatments for osteoporosis and other bone disorders.

Scientists have long held the view that collagen and other proteins were the key molecules responsible for stabilizing normal bone structure. That belief has been the basis for some existing medications for bone disorders and bone replacement materials. At the same time, researchers paid little attention to the roles of sugars (carbohydrates) in the complex process of bone growth.

For this research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the UK and Berlin teams studied mineralization in horse bones using an analysis tool called nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). They found that sugars, particularly proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), appear to play a role which is as important as proteins in controlling bone mineralization - the process by which newly-formed bone is hardened with minerals such as calcium phosphate.

Osteoporosis is a chronic and widespread disease in which mineral formation is disturbed, leading to brittle bones, pain, and increased fractures. Osteoarthritis, a hallmark of which is joint cartilage and GAG depletion, is also accompanied by abnormal bone mineralization. Both of these diseases can be debilitating, often crippling, to older people – a problem which will only intensify as our population ages. Among the young, especially sportsmen and women, bone and joint injuries prove the most intractable and are also the ones most likely to develop into afflictions (such as osteoarthritis) later in life.

Dr David Reid, from the Duer Group, Department of Chemistry,at the University of Cambridge, who played a significant part in the research, said, “We believe our findings will alter some fundamental preconceptions of bone biology. On a practical level they unveil novel targets for drug discovery for bone and joint diseases, new biomarkers for diagnosis, and new strategies for developing synthetic materials that could be used in orthopaedics.

“They may also strengthen the rationale for the current popularity of over-the-counter joint and bone pain remedies such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which are based on GAG sugar molecules.”

Source: University of Cambridge

Related stories:

Researchers coat titanium with polymer to improve integration of joint replacements
Research at the Georgia Institute of Technology shows that coating a titanium implant with a new biologically inspired material enhances tissue healing, improves bone growth around the implant and strengthens the attachment and integration of the implant to the bone.
A glass apart
British scientists are developing a new type of glass that can dissolve and release calcium into the body. This will enable patients to regrow bones and could signal a move away from bone transplants.
Stem cells offer cartilage repair hope for arthritis sufferers
Research being presented today at the UK National Stem Cell Network Annual Science Meeting in Edinburgh could offer hope that bone stem cells may be harnessed to repair the damaged cartilage that is one of the main symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Arthritic knees remain painful after arthroscopic surgery
Trimming damaged tissue through arthroscopic surgery does not relieve pain and swelling in arthritic knees any better than simply flushing loose debris from the joint, according to a new review of evidence.
Popular osteoporosis drugs triple risk of bone necrosis
A University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute study has found that a popular class of osteoporosis drugs nearly triples the risk of developing bone necrosis, a condition that can lead to disfigurement and incapacitating pain.
Researchers uncover new piece to the puzzle of human height
In studies involving more than 35,000 people and a survey across the entire human genome, an international team supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found evidence that common genetic variants recently linked to osteoarthritis may also play a minor role in human height. The findings were released today in the advance online publication of the journal Nature Genetics.
Bad to the bone: new research to shed light on osteoporosis
Ten million people in the United States are estimated to already have bone diseases, and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, putting them at increased risk for osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Of mice and men: similarities between skeletons of both
A new book by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that details the skeletal structure of the mouse demonstrates a surprising similarity between mice and humans.

News discussion:

Medicine & Health news