Ablation of Enpp6 results in transient bone hypomineralization

C.F. was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) via an Institute Strategic Programme Grant Funding (BB/J004316/1). S.D. was supported through a BBSRC EASTBIO Doctoral Training Partnership studentship award (1803936) and N.M.M. was supported by a Wellcome Trust New Investigator Award (100981/Z/13/Z). S.D. wrote the manuscript. S.D., K.S., S-N.H., and L.A.S. carried out experimental work. W.P.C., R.W. and N.M.M. provided reagents and materials. A.J.S., F.N. and C.F. contributed to conceptualization of the study and experimental design. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript and approved the final version. All authors state that they have no conflicts of interest.Biomineralization is a fundamental process key to the development of the skeleton. The phosphatase orphan phosphatase 1 (PHOSPHO1), which likely functions within extracellular matrix vesicles, has emerged as a critical regulator of biomineralization. The biochemical pathways which generate intravesicular PHOSPHO1 substrates are however currently unknown. We hypothesized that the enzyme ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (ENPP6) is an upstream source of PHOSPHO1 substrate. To test this, we characterized skeletal phenotypes of mice homozygous for a targeted deletion of Enpp6 (Enpp6‒/‒). Micro-computed tomography of the trabecular compartment revealed transient hypomineralization in Enpp6‒/‒ tibiae (p 0.01) and osteoid surface (p < 0.05) which recovered by 12 weeks but was not accompanied by changes in osteoblast or osteoclast number. This study is the first to characterize the skeletal phenotype of Enpp6‒/‒ mice, revealing transient hypomineralization in young animals compared to wild-type controls. These data suggest that ENPP6 is important for bone mineralization and may function upstream of PHOSPHO1 as a novel means of generating its substrates inside matrix vesicles.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Myeloma cells down‐regulate adiponectin in bone marrow adipocytes via TNF‐alpha

Multiple myeloma is caused by abnormal plasma cells that accumulate in the bone marrow and interact with resident cells of the bone microenvironment to drive disease progression and development of an osteolytic bone disease. Bone marrow adipocytes (BMAds) are emerging as having important endocrine functions that can support myeloma cell growth and survival. However, how BMAds respond to infiltrating tumor cells remains poorly understood. Using the C57BL/KaLwRij murine model of myeloma, bone marrow adiposity was found to be increased in early stage myeloma with BMAds localizing along the tumor‐bone interface at later stages of disease. Myeloma cells were found to uptake BMAd‐derived lipids in vitro and in vivo, although lipid uptake was not associated with the ability of BMAds to promote myeloma cell growth and survival. However, BMAd‐derived factors were found to increase myeloma cell migration, viability, and the evasion of apoptosis. BMAds are a major source of adiponectin, which is known to be myeloma‐suppressive. Myeloma cells were found to downregulate adiponectin specifically in a model of BMAds but not in white adipocytes. The ability of myeloma cells to downregulate adiponectin was dependent at least in part on TNF‐α. Collectively our data support the link between increased bone marrow adiposity and myeloma progression. By demonstrating how TNF‐α downregulates BMAd‐derived adiponectin, we reveal a new mechanism by which myeloma cells alter the bone microenvironment to support disease progression. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research

A novel deep learning method for large-scale analysis of bone marrow adiposity using UK Biobank Dixon MRI data

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) represents &gt; 10% fat mass in healthy humans and can be measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the bone marrow fat fraction (BMFF). Human MRI studies have identified several diseases associated with BMFF but have been relatively small scale. Population-scale studies therefore have huge potential to reveal BMAT's true clinical relevance. The UK Biobank (UKBB) is undertaking MRI of 100,000 participants, providing the ideal opportunity for such advances.OBJECTIVE: To establish deep learning for high-throughput multi-site BMFF analysis from UKBB MRI data.MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied males and females aged 60-69. Bone marrow (BM) segmentation was automated using a new lightweight attention-based 3D U-Net convolutional neural network that improved segmentation of small structures from large volumetric data. Using manual segmentations from 61-64 subjects, the models were trained to segment four BM regions of interest: the spine (thoracic and lumbar vertebrae), femoral head, total hip and femoral diaphysis. Models were tested using a further 10-12 datasets per region and validated using datasets from 729 UKBB participants. BMFF was then quantified and pathophysiological characteristics assessed, including site- and sex-dependent differences and the relationships with age, BMI, bone mineral density, peripheral adiposity, and osteoporosis.RESULTS: Model accuracy matched or exceeded that for conventional U-Nets, yielding Dice scores of 91.2% (spine), 94.5% (femoral head), 91.2% (total hip) and 86.6% (femoral diaphysis). One case of severe scoliosis prevented segmentation of the spine, while one case of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma prevented segmentation of the spine, femoral head and total hip because of T2 signal depletion; however, successful segmentation was not disrupted by any other pathophysiological variables. The resulting BMFF measurements confirmed expected relationships between BMFF and age, sex and bone density, and identified new site- and sex-specific characteristics.CONCLUSIONS: We have established a new deep learning method for accurate segmentation of small structures from large volumetric data, allowing high-throughput multi-site BMFF measurement in the UKBB. Our findings reveal new pathophysiological insights, highlighting the potential of BMFF as a novel clinical biomarker. Applying our method across the full UKBB cohort will help to reveal the impact of BMAT on human health and disease.</p

Next Generation Metrics for Scientific and Scholarly Research in Europe:LERU report of an Expert Working Group

The field of evaluating academic activities is vast, complex, and highly dynamic, as are the roles of any data and indicators used to support these evaluations This Next Generation Metrics for Scientific and Scholarly Research in Europe paper, explores how universities can and should use currently available metrics and data to assess their research evaluation processes, in conjunction with qualitative expertise and information

Hematopoietic IKBKE limits the chronicity of inflammasome priming and metaflammation

Obesity increases the risk of developing life-threatening metabolic diseases including cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, diabetes, and cancer. Efforts to curb the global obesity epidemic and its impact have proven unsuccessful in part by a limited understanding of these chronic progressive diseases. It is clear that low-grade chronic inflammation, or metaflammation, underlies the pathogenesis of obesity-associated type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. However, the mechanisms that maintain chronicity and prevent inflammatory resolution are poorly understood. Here, we show that inhibitor of κB kinase epsilon (IKBKE) is a novel regulator that limits chronic inflammation during metabolic disease and atherosclerosis. The pathogenic relevance of IKBKE was indicated by the colocalization with macrophages in human and murine tissues and in atherosclerotic plaques. Genetic ablation of IKBKE resulted in enhanced and prolonged priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome in cultured macrophages, in hypertrophic adipose tissue, and in livers of hypercholesterolemic mice. This altered profile associated with enhanced acute phase response, deregulated cholesterol metabolism, and steatoheptatitis. Restoring IKBKE only in hematopoietic cells was sufficient to reverse elevated inflammasome priming and these metabolic features. In advanced atherosclerotic plaques, loss of IKBKE and hematopoietic cell restoration altered plaque composition. These studies reveal a new role for hematopoietic IKBKE: to limit inflammasome priming and metaflammation

Guidelines for Biobanking of Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue and Related Cell Types: Report of the Biobanking Working Group of the International Bone Marrow Adiposity Society

Over the last two decades, increased interest of scientists to study bone marrow adiposity (BMA) in relation to bone and adipose tissue physiology has expanded the number of publications using different sources of bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT). However, each source of BMAT has its limitations in the number of downstream analyses for which it can be used. Based on this increased scientific demand, the International Bone Marrow Adiposity Society (BMAS) established a Biobanking Working Group to identify the challenges of biobanking for human BMA-related samples and to develop guidelines to advance establishment of biobanks for BMA research. BMA is a young, growing field with increased interest among many diverse scientific communities. These bring new perspectives and important biological questions on how to improve and build an international community with biobank databases that can be used and shared all over the world. However, to create internationally accessible biobanks, several practical and legislative issues must be addressed to create a general ethical protocol used in all institutes, to allow for exchange of biological material internationally. In this position paper, the BMAS Biobanking Working Group describes similarities and differences of patient information (PIF) and consent forms from different institutes and addresses a possibility to create uniform documents for BMA biobanking purposes. Further, based on discussion among Working Group members, we report an overview of the current isolation protocols for human bone marrow adipocytes (BMAds) and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs, formerly mesenchymal), highlighting the specific points crucial for effective isolation. Although we remain far from a unified BMAd isolation protocol and PIF, we have summarized all of these important aspects, which are needed to build a BMA biobank. In conclusion, we believe that harmonizing isolation protocols and PIF globally will help to build international collaborations and improve the quality and interpretation of BMA research outcomes

Marrow adipose tissue: trimming the fat

Marrow adipose tissue (MAT) is a unique fat depot, located in the skeleton, that has the potential to contribute to both local and systemic metabolic processes. In this review we highlight several recent conceptual developments pertaining to the origin and function of MAT adipocytes; consider the relationship of MAT to beige, brown, and white adipose depots; explore MAT expansion and turnover in humans and rodents; and discuss future directions for MAT research in the context of endocrine function and metabolic disease. MAT has the potential to exert both local and systemic effects on metabolic homeostasis, skeletal remodeling, hematopoiesis, and development of bone metastases. The diversity of these functions highlights the breadth of MAT’s potential impact on health and disease