A recent study conducted by the PhyloBone project at the University of Turku in Finland has identified numerous non-collagenous proteins within the bone matrix. These proteins are believed to potentially serve regulatory roles in both bone formation and bone regeneration. This study holds the potential to usher in novel approaches for treatments and preventive strategies aimed at addressing bone regeneration and furthering research into osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis stands as a prevalent bone ailment, particularly prevalent among the elderly population on a global scale. This condition gives rise to an astounding 9 million fractures annually—essentially equating to one fracture occurring every three seconds. The impact of osteoporosis is substantial, contributing significantly to both morbidity and mortality rates, especially in developed nations. With the ongoing increase in life expectancy worldwide, the prominence of osteoporosis is on the rise, impacting the quality of life for individuals across numerous countries.
“Our PhyloBone project utilizes a novel approach, based on evolutionary biology principles, to study bone formation, that will substantially contribute to the identification of molecular mechanisms and novel drug targets,” said Dr. Pere Puigbò, co-principal investigator of the PhyloBone project.
Since the bone matrix, which forms most of the mass of the bone, plays both structural and regulatory roles, non-collagenous organic components have a key function in bone regulation. It is known for example that few non-collagenous proteins, such as osteopontin, play a major role in bone formation. However, the bone matrix is composed of hundreds of proteins that are poorly understood and may play a major regulatory role in bone regeneration and osteoporosis.
“Our project has identified 255 proteins in 30 species of vertebrates. The goal of the project is to serve as a valuable resource for further investigations in the areas of bone regeneration, osteoporosis, and related fields,” said Dr. Puigbò.
The PhyloBone project’s database has been published in the journal Bone Research. This project, funded by the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, provides the most comprehensive resource of bone matrix proteins in human and model organisms, and will have an impact in research fields such as bone regeneration, osteoporosis, and mechanobiology.
“Our study indicates that several non-collagenous proteins are determinants to regulate bone formation and regeneration”, says Dr. Miho Nakamura, co-principal investigator of the PhyloBone project.
“In future developments of the project, we expect to have experimental evidence on the regulatory role of several bone proteins in bone regeneration and osteoporosis”, Dr. Nakamura adds.
Link to the original publication: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41413-023-00281-w.
Project website: https://www.phylobone.com/.
More information
Pere Puigbò, PhD, Adjunct Professor, University of Turku, pepuav@utu.fi, +358 40 675 3548 (English, Catalan, Spanish). Currently senior researcher at Eurecat, Technology Center of Catalonia and assistant professor at Rovira i Virgili University. pere.puigbo@eurecat.org
Miho Nakamura, PhD, TCSMT Group Leader and Adjunct Professor, University of Turku, miho.nakamura@utu.fi, +358 40 640 3346 (English, Japanese).
> Bone remodeling. The Phylobone project has built a database of 255 protein groups (28 collagenous and 227 non-collagenous) of the bone extracellular matrix. The database provides a robust tool for the study of bone weakness and regeneration, and supports emerging therapies targeting novel disease mechanisms to provide a powerful strategy for osteoporosis management in the future. (Image credit: PhyloBone project, University of Turku)
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