Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens bones. It happens when our bodies can’t make new bone as fast as it loses old bone.
This can make our bones break more easily. The disease often affects women who are past menopause.
But what if we could slow down bone loss and make our bones stronger again?
A Major Discovery by Van Andel Institute
Scientists from the Van Andel Institute have made an exciting discovery. They have found something that might be a key to treating osteoporosis in women.
These scientists are Associate Professors Connie M. Krawczyk, Ph.D., and Tao Yang, Ph.D. Their research is published in the journal Science Advances.
The Importance of KDM5C
Krawczyk and Yang focused on something called KDM5C. What’s that? Well, it’s something in our body that acts like an “on-off” switch. It controls when certain things happen in our bodies.
Their research found that when KDM5C is lost or reduced, bone mass in mice was preserved. In other words, the mice didn’t lose as much bone.
The researchers think that KDM5C might do the same thing in humans. If that’s true, reducing KDM5C could be a new way to treat osteoporosis in women.
The Benefit of Targeting KDM5C
Krawczyk and Yang believe that targeting KDM5C could be a promising treatment for osteoporosis. Why? Because it’s specific. That means it could have fewer side effects than other treatments.
Many women don’t take osteoporosis medicines because they’re worried about side effects. Some treatments use the hormone estrogen. But those are usually only used for a short time because they can increase the risk of cancer.
If a treatment can target KDM5C specifically, it might have fewer side effects. This could make it a better option for many women.
The Connection Between KDM5C and Bone Health
The researchers also found out more about how KDM5C affects bone health. They discovered that reducing KDM5C slows down a process that recycles old bone.
This process is done by cells called osteoclasts. When this recycling process is slower, more bone mass is preserved.
KDM5C is also linked to X chromosomes. Women have more X chromosomes than men. So, KDM5C is more active in women. This could be why women often have lower bone mass than men.
Looking Ahead
This discovery about KDM5C and bone mass is a big step forward. But there’s still more work to do. The researchers are excited to continue their studies.
They hope that their findings can help create new treatments for osteoporosis. As Krawczyk said, “At the end of the day, we hope these insights make a difference for people with osteoporosis.”
If you care about bone health, please read studies about vitamin K deficiency linked to hip fractures in old people, and these vitamins could help reduce bone fracture risk.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies that Krill oil could improve muscle health in older people, and eating yogurt linked to lower frailty in older people.
The study was published in Science Advances. Follow us on Twitter for more articles about this topic.
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