How bone-forming cell precursors react to bone-building osteoporosis treatments
The role of osteoblast progenitors in response to bone anabolic agents
This research looks at how bone-forming precursor cells change in postmenopausal women treated with bone-building drugs like romosozumab and teriparatide.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11260283 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I join, doctors will collect bone core biopsies, bone marrow aspirates, and blood from postmenopausal women while they receive romosozumab and compare those samples to others from women treated with teriparatide. Lab analyses will use techniques such as multi-color flow cytometry to identify and track non-hematopoietic marrow stromal cells and other osteoblast progenitors. Complementary mouse experiments and previously collected human samples will be used to help interpret changes seen in patient samples. Together this work aims to explain why the bone-building benefit of romosozumab declines quickly over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are receiving or are eligible for romosozumab or teriparatide and are willing to provide bone biopsies, marrow aspirates, and blood samples.
Not a fit: People without osteoporosis, men, or anyone unwilling or unable to undergo bone biopsy or marrow aspiration are unlikely to benefit or be eligible to participate.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could explain why romosozumab's effect wanes and help design strategies to extend or improve bone gains from anabolic osteoporosis treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Romosozumab and teriparatide are proven bone-building drugs, but using detailed bone marrow cell analyses to explain the rapid loss of romosozumab benefit is a relatively new translational approach.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kronenberg, Henry M. — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kronenberg, Henry M.
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.