THE EFFECTS OF DEMINERALIZED BONE MATRIX PROTEINS, ESTROGEN, AND AN ANTAGONIST TO NEUROPEPTIDE Y ON OSTEOBLAST AND OSTEOCLAST VIABILITY AND FUNCTION RELATED TO OSTEOPOROSIS

摘要

Currently, osteoporosis affects over half of our population beyond the age of 50, and hip fractures related to osteoporosis accounted for direct costs of $18 billion in 2002 ("About Osteoporosis: Fast Facts", 2006). The average length of a hospital s tay for a primary fracture diagnosis is nearly one week, and approximately 25% of previously independent older patients who sustain hip fractures remain in long-term care for over a year. In response to the necessity for improved fracture care and shortened healing time, the field of orthopaedic surgery has begun to turn toward cellular and molecular biology research for the next answer. The goal of the proposed research is to determine if current treatment and potentially new therapeutic compounds are capable of regulating bone cell function. Osteoblast and osteoclast cells were treated for periods of 24, 48 and 72 hours in the presence of estrogen, demineralized bone matrix proteins, or an antagonist to neuropeptide Y. Following the incubation, cell viability, cell function, and morphology were determined. The results indicated a significant increase in osteoblast proliferation and alkaline phosphate production in cells treated with estrogen and DBM without evidence of cellular damage. DBM and estrogen did not affect osteoclast cell numbers, while neuropeptide Y antagonist reduced osteoclast numbers. The data shows Y antagonist may be a useful and safe compound that could be used in the treatment of osteoporotic fractures.