Ipriflavone inhibits bone resorption in intact and ovariectomized rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible inhibitory effect of ipriflavone on bone resorption in rats. For this purpose, 10-week-old, intact and ovariectomized (OVX) rats, prelabeled from birth with [3H]tetracycline, were used. Bone resorption was monitored by measuring the urinary excretion of [3H]. The animals were fed a purified diet devoid of naturally occurring flavonoids. In the intact rats, the daily meal was given either as a single portion or divided into four portions, a procedure known to lead by itself to a decrease in bone resorption. Ipriflavone, given 7 days after OVX at the dose of 400 mg/kg B.W. daily mixed with the food, led within 2-3 days to a significant decrease in bone resorption equivalent to that of 27.2 μg/kg S.C. of 17β-estradiol. The inhibition was sustained for the length of the experiment, up to 21 days. Ipriflavone given 7 days before OVX prevented the increase in bone resorption induced by castration, the effect being dose-dependent between 50 and 400 mg/kg B.W. In contrast to 17β-estradiol, a 5-week treatment with ipriflavone failed to prevent the OVX-induced uterine atrophy. Significant inhibition of bone resorption was also seen in intact animals, provided they rapidly ingested the daily meal. Actually, the decrease in bone resorption induced by portioning the daily food masked the inhibitory effect of ipriflavone in intact animals. In conclusion, ipriflavone can decrease bone resorption in both intact and OVX animals given a purified diet as a single daily meal. In the OVX model, ipriflavone mimics the osteoprotective effect of estrogen. However, the lack of a uterotropic effect suggests that the compound can discriminate between bone and reproductive tissue

Extracellular ATP released by osteoblasts is a key local inhibitor of bone mineralisation

Previous studies have shown that exogenous ATP (>1µM) prevents bone formation in vitro by blocking mineralisation of the collagenous matrix. This effect is thought to be mediated via both P2 receptor-dependent pathways and a receptor-independent mechanism (hydrolysis of ATP to produce the mineralisation inhibitor pyrophosphate, PPi). Osteoblasts are also known to release ATP constitutively. To determine whether this endogenous ATP might exert significant biological effects, bone-forming primary rat osteoblasts were cultured with 0.5-2.5U/ml apyrase (which sequentially hydrolyses ATP to ADP to AMP + 2Pi). Addition of 0.5U/ml apyrase to osteoblast culture medium degraded extracellular ATP to <1% of control levels within 2 minutes; continuous exposure to apyrase maintained this inhibition for up to 14 days. Apyrase treatment for the first 72 hours of culture caused small decreases (≤25%) in osteoblast number, suggesting a role for endogenous ATP in stimulating cell proliferation. Continuous apyrase treatment for 14 days (≥0.5U/ml) increased mineralisation of bone nodules by up to 3-fold. Increases in bone mineralisation were also seen when osteoblasts were cultured with the ATP release inhibitors, NEM and brefeldin A, as well as with P2X1 and P2X7 receptor antagonists. Apyrase decreased alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) activity by up to 60%, whilst increasing the activity of the PPi-generating ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterases (NPPs) up to 2.7-fold. Both collagen production and adipocyte formation were unaffected. These data suggest that nucleotides released by osteoblasts in bone could act locally, via multiple mechanisms, to limit mineralisation

Role of electromagnetically induced transparency in resonant four-wave-mixing schemes.

Published versio

The role of bisphosphonates in breast cancer: Development of bisphosphonates

Bisphosphonates are synthetic compounds characterized by a P–C–P group, and are thus analogs of inorganic pyrophosphate. They are used in medicine mainly to inhibit bone resorption in diseases like osteoporosis, Paget's disease and tumor bone disease. They have been used for over a century in industry, and only in 1968 was it shown that bisphosphonates have biological effects. These effects consist mainly of an inhibition of bone resorption and, when given in large amounts, an inhibition of ectopic and normal calcification. While the latter effect is the consequence of a physical-chemical inhibition of calcium phosphate crystal formation, the former is due to a cellular effect involving both apoptosis of the osteoclasts and a destruction of the osteoclastic cytoskeleton, inducing a decrease in osteoclast activity. The biochemical basis of these effects for the nitrogen-containing compounds is an inhibition of the mevalonate pathway caused by the inhibition of farnesylpyrophosphate synthase, which leads to a decrease of the formation of isoprenoid lipids such as farnesylpyrophosphate and geranylgeranylpyrophosphate. The other bisphosphonates are incorporated into the phosphate chain of ATP-containing compounds so that they become non-hydrolyzable. The new P–C–P-containing ATP analogs inhibit cell function and may lead to apoptosis and death of osteoclasts

The contribution of Swiss scientists to the assessment of energy metabolism

Although Switzerland is considered a small country, it has its share in discoveries, inventions and developments for the assessment of energy metabolism. This includes seminal contributions to respiratory and metabolic physiology and to devices for measuring energy expenditure by direct and indirect calorimetry in vivo in humans and small animals (as well as in vitro in organs/tissues), for the purpose of evaluating the basic nutritional requirements. A strong momentum came during World War II when it was necessary to evaluate the energy requirements of soldiers protecting the country by assessing their energy expenditure, as well as to determine the nutritional needs of the Swiss civil population in time of war when food rationing was necessary to ensure national neutrality and independence. A further impetus came in the 1970s at the start of the obesity epidemics, toward a better understanding of the metabolic basis of obesity, ranging from the development of whole-body concepts to molecular mechanisms. In a trip down memory lane, this review focuses on some of the earlier leading Swiss scientists who have contributed to a better understanding of the field

THERMAL ALTERATION IN RECEPTOR ACTIVITY OF THE RAT FUNDAL STRIP1&apos;2

ABSTRACT FLEISCH, JERo rs H. AND S. EHRENPREIS