Beata Lecka-Czernik
Copyright © 2006 Beata Lecka-Czernik. PPARs and Bone Metabolism *Beata Lecka-Czernik: Email: leckaczernikbeata/at/uams.edu Received July 19, 2006; Accepted July 19, 2006. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. | ||||
Welcome to the inaugural special issue of
PPAR Research: PPARs and Bone Metabolism. In
addition to the key roles PPARs play in numerous processes
including glucose and fat metabolism, inflammation, cancer, and
central nervous system maintenance, a new role for PPAR-γ
has recently emerged: the maintenance of bone homeostasis during
aging and disease. In this premier issue we have assembled what is
close to a comprehensive overview of the role of PPAR-γ in
the control of bone maintenance. This takes into account
PPAR-γ's role in mesenchymal stem cell lineage allocation,
possible cross-talk with relevant nuclear receptors, examination
of PPAR-γ gene polymorphisms and bone mineral density in
humans, a role of PPAR-γ in bone loss due to skeletal
disuse, evidence that human bone is vulnerable to antidiabetic
therapies with PPAR-γ agonists, the thiazolidinediones,
and evidence that the antiosteoblastic activity of PPAR-γ
can be separated from its proadipocytic and antidiabetic
activities by using selective modulators. We also present a novel
hypothesis that PPAR-γ acts as a regulator of chondrocyte
development and cartilage homeostasis. We realize that we have not
covered all aspects of PPARs involvement in the control of bone
maintenance; however, this introduction should serve as a
competent first attempt to present these new aspects of bone
biology to the broader audience of our readers. Beata Lecka-Czernik
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