Immune cells strengthen bones
New molecular mechanism discovered in inflammatory bone loss
Osteoporosis affects approximately 6.3 million people in Germany every year. The loss of bone mass is often triggered by dysfunctions in the immune system that lead to an imbalance between osteoblasts, cells that build bone, and osteoclasts, cells that break down bone. The latest research has revealed that eosinophilic granulocytes have a far-reaching influence on bone health.
They are located in the direct vicinity of osteoclasts, cells that are responsible for breaking down old bone tissue during the natural bone remodeling process. “We were able to prove that a low number of eosinophils led to a more rapid loss of bone mass, in particular under certain prerequisites such as menopause or inflammatory arthritis. Conversely, increasing the number of eosinophils can help protect bones against these damaging effects,” says Prof. Dr. Aline Bozec.
Eosinophils protect bones by actively suppressing the activity of osteoclasts. They release a substance known as eosinophilic peroxidase that hampers the abilities of the osteoclasts to initiate two key processes involved in the loss of bone mass: producing reactive oxygen species and activating mitogen-activated protein kinases.
“Interestingly, our studies on people also indicated that levels of eosinophiles correlated with bone mass both in healthy people and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This indicates that eosinophils may also play a role in regulating bone health in humans,” explains Prof. Dr. Aline Bozec.
These findings will have a significant impact on treating bone diseases. Taking a targeted approach to intervening in the function of the eosinophils may allow new treatments to be developed that would prevent or slow down the loss of bone mass, thereby improving bone health.
Original publication
Darja Andreev, Katerina Kachler, Mengdan Liu, Zhu Chen, Brenda Krishnacoumar, Mark Ringer, Silke Frey, Gerhard Krönke, David Voehringer, Georg Schett, Aline Bozec; "Eosinophils preserve bone homeostasis by inhibiting excessive osteoclast formation and activity via eosinophil peroxidase"; Nature Communications, Volume 15, 2024-2-5
Original publication
Darja Andreev, Katerina Kachler, Mengdan Liu, Zhu Chen, Brenda Krishnacoumar, Mark Ringer, Silke Frey, Gerhard Krönke, David Voehringer, Georg Schett, Aline Bozec; "Eosinophils preserve bone homeostasis by inhibiting excessive osteoclast formation and activity via eosinophil peroxidase"; Nature Communications, Volume 15, 2024-2-5
Topics
Organizations
Other news from the department science
Get the life science industry in your inbox
From now on, don't miss a thing: Our newsletter for biotechnology, pharma and life sciences brings you up to date every Tuesday and Thursday. The latest industry news, product highlights and innovations - compact and easy to understand in your inbox. Researched by us so you don't have to.