How aging immune cells and bone cells drive osteoporosis
Defining the interactions of senescent immune cells and skeletal cells
Researchers are looking at how aging immune cells and bone cells talk to each other to find new ways to prevent or treat bone loss in older adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11300252 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work uses special mouse models that let scientists remove aging (senescent) cells from specific bone and immune cell types to see how that affects bone health. The team studies inflammatory signals called the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and how neutrophils and other immune cells can spread or respond to cellular aging in the bone marrow. By comparing animals with different cell types cleared of senescence, they aim to discover which cells drive age-related bone loss and how immune–skeletal cell cross-talk works. Those findings could point to new targets for drugs or therapies to protect bone as people age.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Older adults with age-related bone loss or osteoporosis who are interested in contributing to research on the causes of skeletal aging are the most relevant group.
Not a fit: People with bone problems unrelated to aging, children, or anyone seeking an immediate treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this preclinical research now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that prevent or reverse age-related bone loss by targeting senescent immune or bone cells.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mouse studies show that removing senescent cells can improve age-related bone loss, but removing only bone-cell senescence gave partial benefits, making this immune–bone cross-talk work a newer and expanding approach.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Khosla, Sundeep — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Khosla, Sundeep
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.