Elucidation of the bone remodeling governing bone homeostasis and establishment of innovative treatment strategies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H00551
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 57:Oral science and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Nakashima Tomoki 東京医科歯科大学, 歯学部, 教授 (00346959)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 骨リモデリング / 細胞間クロストーク / 骨リモデリング制御分子 / 細胞系譜特異的な遺伝子改変マウス / 人為的制御法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Bone is dynamically reborn while maintaining dynamic　homeostasis, and this process is called "bone remodeling." While bone remodeling maintains healthy and strong bones, the insufficiency can lead to bone diseases. Bone remodeling is controlled by intercellular crosstalk between osteoclasts and osteoblasts which are the "executive cells" on the bone surface, and osteocytes which are the "commander cells" embedded in the bone. However, the complete picture has not yet been elucidated.
In this study, we elucidated the control mechanism of bone homeostasis by identifying molecules that understanding the mechanism of bone remodeling and its failure at the biological level. As a result, we established a new molecular basis for controlling bone diseases.

Free Research Field

骨生物学、運動器科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は動的な骨恒常性を司る世界に先駆けた骨リモデリングの分子メカニズムを解明した。また、骨リモデリングの破綻による骨疾患の病態を、治療標的となる新たな細胞や分子を同定から、その理解を深めた。さらに、生体レベルの疾患モデル動物を用いて、これまでにない革新的な治療・予防戦略の創成に繋げること実現し、未来の医療現場に直結する基盤技術の分子基盤の確立に貢献した。これら研究成果は、本領域研究の学問的な理解の深化に留まらず、人類の福祉や医療水準の向上に貢献する共有すべき知的財産になると考えられる。