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Title: NELL-1 in the treatment of osteoporotic bone loss

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8362· OSTI ID:1333652

NELL-1 is a secreted, osteoinductive protein whose expression rheostatically controls skeletal ossification. Overexpression of NELL-1 results in craniosynostosis in humans and mice, whereas lack of Nell-1 expression is associated with skeletal undermineralization. Here we show that Nell-1-haploinsufficient mice have normal skeletal development but undergo age-related osteoporosis, characterized by a reduction in osteoblast: osteoclast (OB:OC) ratio and increased bone fragility. Recombinant NELL-1 binds to integrin β1 and consequently induces Wnt/β-catenin signalling, associated with increased OB differentiation and inhibition of OC-directed bone resorption. Systemic delivery of NELL-1 to mice with gonadectomy-induced osteoporosis results in improved bone mineral density. When extended to a large animal model, local delivery of NELL-1 to osteoporotic sheep spine leads to significant increase in bone formation. Furthermore, these findings suggest that NELL-1 deficiency plays a role in osteoporosis and demonstrate the potential utility of NELL-1 as a combination anabolic/antiosteoclastic therapeutic for bone loss.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1333652
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 6; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 70 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Wnt signaling pathway in osteoporosis: Epigenetic regulation, interaction with other signaling pathways, and therapeutic promises journal January 2019
Cumulative inactivation of Nell-1 in Wnt1 expressing cell lineages results in craniofacial skeletal hypoplasia and postnatal hydrocephalus journal October 2019
WISP-1 drives bone formation at the expense of fat formation in human perivascular stem cells journal October 2018
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiling Reveals Epigenetic Adaptation of Stickleback to Marine and Freshwater Conditions journal May 2017
A 6-Gene Risk Signature Predicts Survival of Glioblastoma Multiforme journal August 2019
Nell-1 Is a Key Functional Modulator in Osteochondrogenesis and Beyond journal October 2019
Nanoflake Arrays of Lithiophilic Metal Oxides for the Ultra-Stable Anodes of Lithium-Metal Batteries journal July 2018
Nell‐1‐ΔE, a novel transcript of Nell‐1, inhibits cell migration by interacting with enolase‐1 journal April 2018
Brief Report: Human Perivascular Stem Cells and Nel -Like Protein-1 Synergistically Enhance Spinal Fusion in Osteoporotic Rats: hPSCs and NELL-1 in Spinal Fusion for Osteoporosis journal September 2015
Clinical advantages and disadvantages of anabolic bone therapies targeting the WNT pathway journal September 2018
Robo2 contains a cryptic binding site for neural EGFL-like (NELL) protein 1/2 journal January 2019
Tissue engineering using 3D printed nano-bioactive glass loaded with NELL1 gene for repairing alveolar bone defects journal July 2018
Optimizing Osteogenic Differentiation of Ovine Adipose-Derived Stem Cells by Osteogenic Induction Medium and FGFb, BMP2, or NELL1 In Vitro journal September 2018
Neural EGF-like protein 1 (NELL-1): Signaling crosstalk in mesenchymal stem cells and applications in regenerative medicine journal September 2017
Efficacy of Intraperitoneal Administration of PEGylated NELL-1 for Bone Formation journal June 2016
Cabozantinib-induced osteoblast secretome promotes survival and migration of metastatic prostate cancer cells in bone journal August 2017