New findings on bone structure opens avenues in bone and joint diseases

Research lead

Researchers from Cambridge University, the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket, UK, and the BAM Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany have overthrown current understanding of bone structure, discovering the characteristic toughness and stiffness of bone is predominantly due to the presence of sugars, not proteins, as had been believed.

The findings could have significant impacts on treatments for osteoporosis and other bone disorders.

David Reid, from the Department of Chemistry at Cambridge said, “We believe our findings will alter some fundamental preconceptions of bone biology. On a practical level they unveil novel targets for drug discovery for bone and joint diseases, new biomarkers for diagnosis, and new strategies for developing synthetic materials that could be used in orthopaedics.”

Reid added, “They may also strengthen the rationale for the current popularity of over-the-counter joint and bone pain remedies such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which are based on glycosaminoglycan sugar molecules.”  

Scientists have long believed that collagen and other proteins were the key molecules responsible for stabilising normal bone structure. This understsanding is the basis for some existing medications for bone disorders and bone replacement materials. At the same time, researchers paid little attention to the roles of sugars (carbohydrates) in the complex process of bone growth.

The Anglo/German team studied mineralisation in horse bones using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). They found that sugars, particularly proteoglycans (PGs) and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), appear to play a role which is as important as proteins in controlling bone mineralization – the process by which newly formed bone is hardened with minerals such as calcium phosphate.

Osteoporosis is a chronic and widespread disease in which mineral formation is disturbed, leading to brittle bones, pain, and increased fractures. Osteoarthritis, a hallmark of which is joint cartilage and GAG depletion, is also accompanied by abnormal bone mineralisation.