Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), Florida, have developed a method to manipulate a protein that could result in the development of new bone-forming cells in patients suffering from bone loss. The study focused on a protein called PPARy (known as the master regulator of fat) and its impact on the fate of stem cells derived from bone marrow (mesenchymal stem cells). Since these mesenchymal stem cells can develop into several different cell types including fat, connective tissues, bone and cartilage they have a number of potentially important therapeutic applications.
The scientists knew that a partial loss of PPARy in a genetically modified mouse model led to increased bone formation. To see if they could mimic that effect using a drug candidate, the researchers designed a new compound that could repress the biological activity of PPARy. The results showed that when…
