Newswise — Rockville, MD --The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

New research published in The FASEB Journal indicates that increasing the expression of a particular gene may help to prevent bone loss associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis.

For the study, investigators examined which genes are involved in turning precursor cells called bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into cells that play a crucial role in bone formation. The screen identified a gene that encodes high mobility group AT-hook 1 (Hmga1), a protein that controls the expression of a variety of other genes.

In experiments conducted in rats, expression of Hmga1 increased during bone formation but decreased when rats’ ovaries were removed (mimicking menopause). Treating ovariectomized rats with extra Hmga1 partially reversed bone loss in the animals.

“Our study demonstrated that Hmga1 prevents bone loss by promoting the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs in osteoporosis rats, suggesting that Hmga1 could be an important therapeutic target for osteoporosis,” said corresponding author Yihe Hu, PhD, of Zhejiang University, in China.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1096/fj.202300488R

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About the Journal
The FASEB Journal publishes high-quality and impactful multidisciplinary research covering biology and biomedical sciences at every level of organization: atomic, molecular, cell, tissue, organ, organismic, and population. The journal’s scope includes the spectrum of biological and biomedical sciences as well as interdisciplinary research cutting across multiple fields and extending in related areas

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FASEB is comprised of 26 scientific member societies with 110,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. FASEB’s mission is to advance health and well-being by promoting research and education in biological and biomedical sciences through collaborative advocacy and service to member societies and their members.

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