Sostdc1 deficiency accelerates fracture healing by promoting the expansion of periosteal mesenchymal stem cells

Loss of Sostdc1, a growth factor paralogous to Sost, causes the formation of ectopic incisors, fused molars, abnormal hair follicles, and resistance to kidney disease. Sostdc1 is expressed in the periosteum, a source of osteoblasts, fibroblasts and mesenchymal progenitor cells, which are critically important for fracture repair. Here, we investigated the role of Sostdc1 in bone metabolism and fracture repair. Mice lacking Sostdc1 (Sostdc1−/−) had a low bone mass phenotype associated with loss of trabecular bone in both lumbar vertebrae and in the appendicular skeleton. In contrast, Sostdc1−/− cortical bone measurements revealed larger bones with higher BMD, suggesting that Sostdc1 exerts differential effects on cortical and trabecular bone. Mid-diaphyseal femoral fractures induced in Sostdc1−/− mice showed that the periosteal population normally positive for Sostdc1 rapidly expands during periosteal thickening and these cells migrate into the fracture callus at 3 days post fracture. Quantitative analysis of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and osteoblast populations determined that MSCs express Sostdc1, and that Sostdc1−/− 5 day calluses harbor > 2-fold more MSCs than fractured wildtype controls. Histologically a fraction of Sostdc1-positive cells also expressed nestin and α-smooth muscle actin, suggesting that Sostdc1 marks a population of osteochondral progenitor cells that actively participate in callus formation and bone repair. Elevated numbers of MSCs in D5 calluses resulted in a larger, more vascularized cartilage callus at day 7, and a more rapid turnover of cartilage with significantly more remodeled bone and a thicker cortical shell at 21 days post fracture. These data support accelerated or enhanced bone formation/remodeling of the callus in Sostdc1−/− mice, suggesting that Sostdc1 may promote and maintain mesenchymal stem cell quiescence in the periosteum

Garetosmab in Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 2 Trial

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a rare disease characterized by heterotopic ossification (HO) in connective tissues and painful flare-ups. In the phase 2 LUMINA-1 trial, adult patients with FOP were randomized to garetosmab, an activin A-blocking antibody (n = 20) or placebo (n = 24) in period 1 (28 weeks), followed by an open-label period 2 (28 weeks; n = 43). The primary end points were safety and for period 1, the activity and size of HO lesions. All patients experienced at least one treatment-emergent adverse event during period 1, notably epistaxis, madarosis and skin abscesses. Five deaths (5 of 44; 11.4%) occurred in the open-label period and, while considered unlikely to be related, causality cannot be ruled out. The primary efficacy end point in period 1 (total lesion activity by PET–CT) was not met (P = 0.0741). As the development of new HO lesions was suppressed in period 1, the primary efficacy end point in period 2 was prospectively changed to the number of new HO lesions versus period 1. No placebo patients crossing over to garetosmab developed new HO lesions (0% in period 2 versus 40.9% in period 1; P = 0.0027). Further investigation of garetosmab in FOP is ongoing

The mammalian gene function resource: The International Knockout Mouse Consortium

In 2007, the International Knockout Mouse Consortium (IKMC) made the ambitious promise to generate mutations in virtually every protein-coding gene of the mouse genome in a concerted worldwide action. Now, 5 years later, the IKMC members have developed highthroughput gene trapping and, in particular, gene-targeting pipelines and generated more than 17,400 mutant murine embryonic stem (ES) cell clones and more than 1,700 mutant mouse strains, most of them conditional. A common IKMC web portal (www.knockoutmouse.org) has been established, allowing easy access to this unparalleled biological resource. The IKMC materials considerably enhance functional gene annotation of the mammalian genome and will have a major impact on future biomedical research

Genome-wide association and Mendelian randomisation analysis provide insights into the pathogenesis of heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A small proportion of HF cases are attributable to monogenic cardiomyopathies and existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have yielded only limited insights, leaving the observed heritability of HF largely unexplained. We report results from a GWAS meta-analysis of HF comprising 47,309 cases and 930,014 controls. Twelve independent variants at 11 genomic loci are associated with HF, all of which demonstrate one or more associations with coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, or reduced left ventricular function, suggesting shared genetic aetiology. Functional analysis of non-CAD-associated loci implicate genes involved in cardiac development (MYOZ1, SYNPO2L), protein homoeostasis (BAG3), and cellular senescence (CDKN1A). Mendelian randomisation analysis supports causal roles for several HF risk factors, and demonstrates CAD-independent effects for atrial fibrillation, body mass index, and hypertension. These findings extend our knowledge of the pathways underlying HF and may inform new therapeutic strategies

Genome-wide association and Mendelian randomisation analysis provide insights into the pathogenesis of heart failure

Abstract: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A small proportion of HF cases are attributable to monogenic cardiomyopathies and existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have yielded only limited insights, leaving the observed heritability of HF largely unexplained. We report results from a GWAS meta-analysis of HF comprising 47,309 cases and 930,014 controls. Twelve independent variants at 11 genomic loci are associated with HF, all of which demonstrate one or more associations with coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, or reduced left ventricular function, suggesting shared genetic aetiology. Functional analysis of non-CAD-associated loci implicate genes involved in cardiac development (MYOZ1, SYNPO2L), protein homoeostasis (BAG3), and cellular senescence (CDKN1A). Mendelian randomisation analysis supports causal roles for several HF risk factors, and demonstrates CAD-independent effects for atrial fibrillation, body mass index, and hypertension. These findings extend our knowledge of the pathways underlying HF and may inform new therapeutic strategies

The bone morphogenetic proteins antagonist noggin inhibits membranous ossification

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are expressed and secreted during fracture repair. Although they are likely to be required for this process, little is known about their physiological role in bone regeneration. Noggin is a protein that specifically binds and inactivates several BMPs, It plays fundamental roles during early embryonal development and limb morphogenesis by this BMP-inactivating activity. This study shows that Noggin can modify bone formation in vivo in the adult animal and, thus, indirectly, that BMP signaling is indispensable in this process. A noggin mutein (hNg Delta B2-Fc) engineered so as to display increased bioavailability was used. Bilateral titanium bone chambers mere inserted in 70 rats, and side comparisons for bone formation in the chambers were done. The hNg Delta B2-Fc had no effect on total amount of tissue formed in the chamber but decreased the amount of bone compared with both buffer controls and a control made up of an Fc-tagged IL-6R alpha protein, which had no effects of its own, Also, wild-type noggin inhibited bone formation. Thus, endogenous BMP signaling is necessary for normal bone regeneration

Conditional Activation of Akt in Adult Skeletal Muscle Induces Rapid Hypertrophy

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a severe morbidity caused by a variety of conditions, including cachexia, cancer, AIDS, prolonged bedrest, and diabetes. One strategy in the treatment of atrophy is to induce the pathways normally leading to skeletal muscle hypertrophy. The pathways that are sufficient to induce hypertrophy in skeletal muscle have been the subject of some controversy. We describe here the use of a novel method to produce a transgenic mouse in which a constitutively active form of Akt can be inducibly expressed in adult skeletal muscle and thereby demonstrate that acute activation of Akt is sufficient to induce rapid and significant skeletal muscle hypertrophy in vivo, accompanied by activation of the downstream Akt/p70S6 kinase protein synthesis pathway. Upon induction of Akt in skeletal muscle, there was also a significant decrease in adipose tissue. These findings suggest that pharmacologic approaches directed toward activating Akt will be useful in inducing skeletal muscle hypertrophy and that an increase in lean muscle mass is sufficient to decrease fat storage