ANABONOS: Molecular mechanisms of bone formation and anabolism

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 03.0657

Key words (English)

Bone diseases; osteoporosis; fracure

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: 503020

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 6. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.2a

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève HUG
Départements gériatrie et médecine interne
Division des maladies osseuses

Abstract (English)

Osteoporotic fractures are a major healthcare problem in Europe and this is set to increase as the proportion of the elderly individuals in the population expands. Osteoporosis can be treated by drugs that inhibit bone resorption, but these do not restore normal skeletal strength and are incompletely effective at preventing fractures. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop new treatments for osteoporosis that stimulate bone formation. Such treatments would offer the prospect of greater efficacy by reversing the structural abnormalities of bone in established osteoporosis. This proposal will advance understanding of the mechanisms responsible for bone formation, with the long-term aim of harnessing this knowledge to develop new anabolic agents for osteoporosis. These aims will be achieved by drawing leading European academic research groups together with SME's working in bone metabolism to define the mechanisms of bone formation and uncover pathways that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. We will define downstream effectors of molecules which regulate bone formation in mice and define signalling pathways that are activated in human genetic diseases characterised by increased bone formation. The mechanisms of action for drugs with known anabolic effects will be investigated and novel genes which regulate bone formation uncovered by ENU mutagenesis and genetic mapping in mice. Finally, a technology based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) will be developed to study anabolic effects in osteoblasts in response to mechanical force and anabolic agents. The proposal will lead to a greater understanding of how bone formation is regulated and will underpin the development of new therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 03.0657