Research uncovers new protein to treat damaged bones

January 10, 2013 in Medical research

Research uncovers new protein to treat damaged bones

Osteoblasts actively synthesizing new bone. Credit: Robert M. Hunt via CC 3.0

Korean researchers believe that the 'DJ-1 protein' can be used to promote the formation of new bone tissue in patients suffering from osteoporosis by improving communication between bone making cells (osteoblasts) and blood vessel (endothelial) cells. The research was published in Nature Communications.

Professor Pann-Gill Suh and Dr. Jung-Min Kim at the School of Nano-Bioscience and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) identified DJ-1 as a novel mediator of the cross-talk between osteoblasts and by screening molecules secreted from as yet undifferentiated human skeletal cells. These skeletal cells, also known as , have the ability to develop into fully fledged bone cells (osteoblasts).

The researchers showed that DJ-1 stimulates the differentiation of the yet undifferentiated skeletal cells into bone cells by activating fibroblasts, cells which in turn ensure connective tissue growth. Working with rodents, they were able to uncover previously undefined extracellular roles of DJ-1, to promote angiogenesis and osteogenesis, suggesting DJ-1 may have therapeutic potential to stimulate .

More information: "DJ-1 promotes angiogenesis and osteogenesis by activation FGF receptor-1 signaling": www.nature.com/nco… mms2313.html

Journal reference: Nature Communications search and more info website

Provided by Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology

5 /5 (1 vote)  

Rank 5 /5 (1 vote)
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

H. pylori, smoking trends, and gastric cancer in US men

Trends in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and smoking explain a significant proportion of the decline of intestinal-type noncardia gastric adenocarcinoma (NCGA) incidence in US men between 1978 and 2008, and are estimated ...

Medical research created 3 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Common food supplement fights degenerative brain disorders

Widely available in pharmacies and health stores, phosphatidylserine is a natural food supplement produced from beef, oysters, and soy. Proven to improve cognition and slow memory loss, it's a popular treatment for older ...

Medical research created 8 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Finding a family for a pair of orphan receptors in the brain

Researchers at Emory University have identified a protein that stimulates a pair of "orphan receptors" found in the brain, solving a long-standing biological puzzle and possibly leading to future treatments for neurological ...

Medical research created 9 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Insight into the dazzling impact of insulin in cells

Australian scientists have charted the path of insulin action in cells in precise detail like never before. This provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding what goes wrong in diabetes.

Medical research created 9 hours ago | popularity 4.8 / 5 (4) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Do men's and women's hearts burn fuel differently?

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine will study gender differences in how the heart uses and stores fat—its main energy source—and how changes in fat metabolism play ...

Medical research created 12 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


If you can remember it, you can remember it wrong

(Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo ...

New sleeping pill poised to hit US markets

An experimental sleeping pill from US drug company Merck is effective at helping people fall and stay asleep, according to reviewers at the US Food and Drug Administration, which could soon approve the new drug.

B vitamins could delay dementia

(Medical Xpress)—Despite spending billions of dollars on research and development, drug companies have been unable to come up with effective treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Now, A. ...

Reducing caloric intake delays nerve cell loss

Activating an enzyme known to play a role in the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction delays the loss of brain cells and preserves cognitive function in mice, according to a study published in the May ...

Antidepressant reduces stress-induced heart condition

A drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety may improve a stress-related heart condition in people with stable coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

Changing cancer's environment to halt its spread

By studying the roles two proteins, thrombospondin-1 and prosaposin, play in discouraging cancer metastasis, a trans-Atlantic research team has identified a five-amino acid fragment of prosaposin that significantly reduces ...