Study exposes mechanism of bone aging

Local specialists teamed up international colleagues to work on the mechanism of degenerative bone disease, targeting new therapies for osteoporosis and osteonecrosis.

Growth and reconstruction of bones depends on bone cells, osteocytes, which are closely connected with each other. The many mitochondria in osteocytes provide abundant energy.

“Bone quality becomes poor just because of the aging of osteocytes and damage to mitochondria,” said Dr Zhang Changqing from Shanghai No. 6 People’s Hospital, one of the leaders of the study. “Slowing, or even repairing, mitochondrial damage can be effective in controlling bone degeneration.”

The study found the abundance of mitochondria in osteocyte networks drops with aging.

“The activity of the mitochondria reduces as people get older,” Zhang said.

Mitochondrial energy transfer is influenced by protein Mitofusin 2, (Mfn2). “We found expression of Mfn2 declines during the aging process.”

These discoveries help explain the aging of bone cells and provide new possibilities for control and treatment bone degeneration.

The study was published in Science Advances.