Guts Grow Bones
Reported November 27, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — A surprising new discovery in how bones grow may lead to a novel treatment of osteoporosis.
Bone growth is controlled in the gut through serotonin, a chemical in the brain that also influences mood, appetite and sleep. Researchers have known that 95 percent of the bodys serotonin is produced by the duodenum, a part of the gastrointestinal tract, while the brain generates the other five percent.
While studying how two rare human diseases impact bone, researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, N.Y., realized they can control the formation of bone by turning a gene mutation on or off. The mutation is on a gene called Lrp5. They discovered serotonin tells skeletal cells to slow the production of new bone.
The team was able to prevent osteoporosis in mice undergoing menopause by shutting off the intestines release of serotonin. Most current osteoporosis drugs prevent the breakdown of old bone, but do not create new bone. This new finding offers hope to those patients suffering from the disease.
Our hope is that this novel discovery will inform the development of new therapies for the millions of people with osteoporosis Gerard Karsenty, M.D., Ph.D., chair of the Department of Genetics and Development at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, was quoted as saying.
SOURCE: Cell, November 2008