German scientists uncover key to stronger bones and potential osteoporosis therapy
Researchers at Leipzig University have identified the little-known receptor GPR133 as a central regulator of bone health, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent. By activating it with a new compound, AP503, they were able to strengthen bone tissue in mice and even reverse osteoporosis-like conditions.
Osteoporosis, a disease marked by declining bone density, affects nearly six million people in Germany, most of them women. Current treatments often cause side effects or lose effectiveness over time, prompting scientists to search for safer alternatives. GPR133, belonging to a relatively unexplored group of adhesion G protein-coupled receptors, has now been shown to play a decisive role in maintaining bone strength.
“If this receptor is impaired by genetic changes, mice show signs of loss of bone density at an early age – similar to osteoporosis in humans. Using the substance AP503, which was only recently identified via a computer-assisted screen as a stimulator of GPR133, we were able to significantly increase bone strength in both healthy and osteoporotic mice,” said Professor Ines Liebscher, lead investigator at the Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry.
In bone tissue, GPR133 is normally activated through interaction of neighboring bone cells and mechanical strain, triggering signals that stimulate bone-forming cells while inhibiting bone-resorbing ones. AP503 can mimic this natural activation, with potential use both to protect healthy bones and rebuild weakened ones, particularly during menopause.
Leipzig researchers also found earlier that AP503 strengthens skeletal muscle. “The newly demonstrated parallel strengthening of bone once again highlights the great potential this receptor holds for medical applications in an aging population,” noted Dr. Juliane Lehmann, lead author of the study.
Earlier, scientists at Northwestern University announced the development of a nickel-based catalyst that has the potential to transform plastic recycling by removing the need for labor-intensive sorting and enabling the conversion of single-use waste into valuable products.
