Scientists find possible treatment material for osteoporosis

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korean scientists said Wednesday that they have
found a potentially effective treatment material for osteoporosis, a disease that
affects countless numbers of people around the world.
The Ewha Womans University team led by Lee Soo-young said the "RANK suppressing
RRI" has been successfully tested on mice engineered to mimic osteoporosis and
found it treated and helped prevent the onset of the disease.
The discovery published in the latest on-line issue of Journal of Clinical
Investigation claimed the RRI peptide material prevented the receptor activator
of NF-kappaB (RANK) osteoclast cell from connecting to the Vav3 protein that
triggers bone resorption.
The human bone is continuously destroyed and reformed to maintain constant
volume, with osteoblasts and osteoclasts cells respectively responsible for bone
formation and resorption. Healthy people usually maintain a balance between
osteoblasts and osteoclasts cells but if this is disturbed, it can lead to
osteoporosis and arthritis.
Lee, a professor of molecular life science, also said the new peptide did not
trigger any serious side effects in lab animals that have plagued research
efforts to control RANK ligand (RANKL). Materials to suppress RANKL, which can
destroy bones, have been found to adversely affect the human immune system.
"The research shows promise since it can help control osteoclasts cells and opens
whole range of possibilities for treatment of disease related to the hollowing
out of bones," the scientist said.
On average, roughly half of all women over 50 suffer from osteoporosis to some
degree and this condition is becoming a serious health issue with people living
longer, active lives.
At present people can take calcium, vitamin D and bisphosphonates to slow down
osteoporosis, although such measures have been cited for causing other
complications.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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