Battling brittle bones... with broccoli and spinach?

Engineering researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pinpoint the origin of bone fractures

2012-12-11

(Press-News.org) Troy, N.Y. – A new study from engineering researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute shows, for the first time, how the little-understood protein osteocalcin plays a significant role in the strength of our bones. The findings could lead to new strategies and therapeutics for fighting osteoporosis and lowering the risk of bone fracture.

Funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the study details how fractures in healthy bones begin with the creation of incredibly tiny holes, each measuring only about 500 atoms in diameter, within the bone's mineral structure. In the case of a slip, trip, or fall, the force of the impact on a bone physically deforms a pair of joined proteins, osteopontin and osteocalcin, and results in the formation of nanoscale holes. These holes, called dilatational bands, function as a natural defense mechanism, and help to prevent further damage to the surrounding bone. However, if the force of the impact is too great—or if the bone is lacking osteopontin, osteocalcin, or both—the bone will crack and fracture.

The multi-university study, led by Deepak Vashishth, head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer, is the first to give evidence of fracture at the level of bone's nanostructure. Partnering with Rensselaer on the study were Villanova University, the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and Yale University.

"This study is important because it implicates, for the first time, the role of osteocalcin in giving bone the ability to resist fracture," Vashishth said. "Since osteocalcin is always the point of fracture, we believe that strengthening it could lead to a strengthening of the overall bone."

Long known but little understood, the protein osteocalin has been produced by and present in animal bones since before the dawn of humanity. Recently, abnormalities in ostoecalcin production have been associated with type 2 diabetes as well as problems in reproductive health. Vashishth's new study, however, is the first to explain the structural and mechanical importance of osteocalcin in bone.

Now that osteocalcin is known to participate in bone fracture, new strategies for strengthening the bond between osteocalin and osteopontin can be investigated, Vashishth said. Augmenting the body's natural supply of osteocalcin, for example, could be one possible strategy for treating osteoporosis and other conditions leading to increased fracture risk, he said. Osteocalin must be in its carboxylated form to get absorbed into bone, and the protein is carboxylated by vitamin K. Vashishth said future studies could investigate the relation between vitamin K intake, osteocalcin, and bone strength.

"Currently, all of the advice for treating osteoporosis is related to calcium. We believe there's more to the story than just calcium, and the results of this new study raise an important question about vitamin K. Leafy green vegetables are the best source of vitamin K—wouldn't it be great if eating spinach and broccoli was not only healthy, but also good for your bones? We plan to investigate this link in future," Vashisth said.

INFORMATION:

Results of the new study, titled "Dilatational band formation in bone," were recently published online by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and will appear in an upcoming print edition of the journal.

At Rensselaer, this research was conducted in the laboratories of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Along with Vashisth, co-authors of the paper are Rensselaer BME graduate students Atharva Poundarik and, Tamim Diab, BME post-doctoral fellows Grazyna Sroga, and Ani Ural (currently a faculty member at Villanova University), Adele Boskey of the Musculoskeletal Integrity Program at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, and Caren Gundberg of the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation at Yale University.

For more information on Vashishth and his research at Rensselaer, visit:

Faculty Home Page http://www.eng.rpi.edu/soe/index.php/faculty/154?soeid=vashid New Technique Yields Troves of Information From Nanoscale Bone Samples http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2891 Proteins To Yield New Clues in Fight Against Osteoporosis http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2771 Rensselaer Professor Deepak Vashishth Named Fellow of AIMBE http://news.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=2954 Rensselaer Department of Biomedical Engineering http://www.bme.rpi.edu/

Contact

Michael Mullaney
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY
518-276-6161
mullam@rpi.edu
www.rpi.edu/news

Visit the Rensselaer research and discovery blog: http://approach.rpi.edu

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RPInews

[Attachments] See images for this press release:

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Reports assess global student achievement in math, science and reading literacy

2012-12-11

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (12-11-12)—Students from East Asian countries, in addition to a select group of European countries, outperformed students around the world in mathematics, science and reading at both the fourth and eighth grades, according to results released Dec. 11 by Lynch School of Education Professors Ina V.S. Mullis and Michael O. Martin, executive directors of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is the first global assessment of mathematics and science to provide data about trends over ...

Holiday shopping madness: When do consumers seek to punish fellow shoppers for behaving badly?

2012-12-11

Consumers seek to punish fellow consumers who violate social norms while shopping but also make exceptions depending on the situation, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Punishment is a complex decision for consumers to make as it is difficult to punish someone but also difficult to look the other way. Consumers do not seem to make these decisions lightly, and a number of interesting factors influence consumer punishment decisions," write authors Lily Lin, Darren W. Dahl (both University of British Columbia), and Jennifer J. Argo (University ...

How do stay-at-home dads seek greater social acceptance?

2012-12-11

In order to avoid the stigma and loss of status posed by their lifestyle choice, stay-at-home fathers are mobilizing to build greater legitimacy for their marginalized gender identity, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "Stay-at-home fathers aggressively pursue recognition by and acceptance from mainstream institutions, with a particular emphasis on the mass market and iconic household and family-oriented brands. Accordingly, they vigilantly watch for mass media representations and advertisements that positively acknowledge their collective ...

Need to move soon? Don't trust your emotions

2012-12-11

Consumers are more likely to make emotional instead of objective assessments when the outcomes are closer to the present time than when they are further away in the future, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "The proximity of a decision's outcome increases consumer reliance on feelings when making decisions. Feelings are relied upon more when the outcome is closer in time because these feelings appear to be more informative in such situations," write authors Hannah H. Chang (Singapore Management University) and Michel Tuan Pham (Columbia University). From ...

Value or attention: Why do consumers prefer familiar products?

2012-12-11

Consumers are more likely to purchase a product if they have previously focused their attention on it but are less likely to purchase a product they have previously ignored, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "It's generally assumed that consumers will choose products that provide the greatest value. But prior consideration of a product makes it easier to process the product when it's encountered later and this influences whether or not consumers like the product, regardless of the benefits it provides. The act of attending to a product increases ...

Mobile app boosts weight loss by 15 pounds

2012-12-11

CHICAGO --- Using a mobile app that tracks eating and activity helped people lose an average of 15 pounds and keep it off for at least a year, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study. But the technology only aided weight loss when its users also attended regular classes about nutrition and exercise. The app alone didn't help. "The app is important because it helps people regulate their behavior, which is really hard to do," said Bonnie Spring, lead investigator of the study and a professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School ...

Binge eating, overeating may be associated with initiating use of marijuana, other drugs

2012-12-11

CHICAGO – Overeating and binge eating may be associated with initiating use of marijuana and other drugs in a study of adolescents and young adults, according to a study published Online First by Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a JAMA Network publication. Binge eating is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition) as eating an amount of food that is larger than most people would eat in a similar period under similar circumstances and feeling a lack of control over eating during the episode, according to the study ...

Study suggests odds of visual field testing for glaucoma decreased most for Hispanics in past decade

2012-12-11

CHICAGO – The odds of individuals with open-angle glaucoma undergoing visual field testing decreased for all racial/ethnic groups from 2001 through 2009, but the odds decreased the most for Hispanic men and women in a study of enrollees in a large U.S. managed care network, according to a report published in the December issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, a JAMA Network publication. Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) affects more than 3 million individuals in the United States and is a major cause of visual impairment. Studies have found the condition is more prevalent in racial ...

Addition of technology to standard weight loss plan appears beneficial for greater weight loss

2012-12-11

CHICAGO – Use of a personal digital assistant (PDA) and telephone coaching appears to enhance short-term weight loss when used in conjunction with an existing physician-directed weight loss treatment program, according to a report posted Online First by Archives of Internal Medicine, a JAMA Network publication. "Little is known about whether the outcome of physician-directed weight loss treatment can be improved by adding mobile technology," the authors write as background. However, "self-monitoring of diet and physical activity is associated with weight loss success ...

Study suggests vision insurance associated with eye-care visits, better reported vision

2012-12-11

CHICAGO – Vision insurance for working-age adults appears to be associated with having eye care visits and reporting better vision, compared with individuals without insurance, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Ophthalmology, a JAMA Network publication. Millions of Americans experience vision loss or impairment due to age-related eye diseases, including glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) and cataracts. Periodic checkups are recommended for timely detection of eye conditions to prevent irreversible vision loss. Having vision insurance ...

Battling brittle bones... with broccoli and spinach?

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES: