Our wellness relies on the actions of many proteins to build cells and remove old ones to keep us in tip-top condition. But sometimes we need to preserve cells, and this natural process can put our wellbeing at risk. A new study looking at the actions of one protein in-particular indicates that we could soon protect ourselves more from the loss of cells that can damage our health.
Bone loss
It’s perfectly natural for our body to reabsorb bone cells, and this happens with the help of osteoclasts. As older particles are removed in this way, osteoblasts make new bone cells. Although this system works well when we’re younger, when we reach our 30s our bone mineral density (BMD) starts to decline quicker and we make bone cells more slowly. If our bones get too light then we may be diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Protective proteins
Researchers from a dentistry school and US universities looked into how some proteins affect our bone health, which may be helpful if we have periodontitis and osteoporosis as these conditions lead to bone weakness that can result in fractures. Scientists found that protein nuclear factor kB (NF-kB) can reduce the growth of new cells by affecting osteoblasts. In the past, other studies have shown that the protein also has an effect on the molecules that help us to reabsorb cells, showing that the protein has a complex impact on our wellness.
Treatments
Osteoporosis experts explain that this new research is ground-breaking, as the protein has not been linked with bone forming cells before. They explain that the experiments can lead to more drugs being available that block the actions of NF-kB, so new bone cells can be created. There are already some medications available that can help to re-build our bone density, but side effects mean they are normally only prescribed for a few years at a time.
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