Biology subjects

Ambrosi, T. H.

Publications and source records attributed to Ambrosi, T. H..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Basigin Links Altered Skeletal Stem Cell Lineage Dynamics with Glucocorticoid-induced Bone Loss and Impaired Angiogenesis

Glucocorticoid (GC) induced osteoporosis (GIOP) and osteonecrosis remain a significant health issue with few approved therapies that can treat the bone loss and dysfunction of skeletal vasculature. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the cellular and molecular processes by which GCs affect osteogenesis and angiogenesis, as well as how treatment with parathyroid hormone (hPTH 1-34) modifies these effects in a mouse model of GIOP. GC treatment reduced bone mass through decreased bone formation by skeletal stem cells (SSCs) while also increasing osteoclast mediated resorption. Concomitantly, endothelial cells were increased in numbers but displayed distorted phenotypical features. However, hPTH treatment reversed GC induced changes in osteogenesis and angiogenesis to control levels. Transplantation studies of SSCs combined with molecular analysis by single cell RNA-sequencing and functional testing of primary human cells tied GC-induced skeletal changes to altered stem and progenitor cell differentiation dynamics. This in turn perpetuated reduced osteogenesis and vascular malformation through direct SSC-endothelial crosstalk mediated at least in part by Basigin. Intriguingly, antibody-mediated blockade of Basigin during GC treatment prevented detrimental bone loss. In addition, when administered to aged mice, anti-Basigin therapy reinstated bone remodeling to significantly improve bone mass independent of sex. These findings, while helping to explain the cellular and molecular basis of how hPTH treatment can mitigate GC induced bone loss, provide new therapeutic vantage points for GIOP and other conditions associated with bone loss.

cell biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Brain-Derived CCN3 Is An Osteoanabolic Hormone That Sustains Bone in Lactating Females

In lactating mothers, the high calcium (Ca2+) demand for milk production triggers significant bone resorption. While estrogen would normally counteract excessive bone loss and maintain sufficient bone formation during this postpartum period, this sex steroid drops precipitously after giving birth. Here, we report that brain-derived CCN3 (Cellular Communication Network factor 3) secreted from KISS1 neurons of the arcuate nucleus (ARCKISS1) fills this void and functions as a potent osteoanabolic factor to promote bone mass in lactating females. Using parabiosis and bone transplant methods, we first established that a humoral factor accounts for the female-specific, high bone mass previously observed by our group after deleting estrogen receptor alpha (ER) from ARCKISS1 neurons1. This exceptional bone phenotype in mutant females can be traced back to skeletal stem cells (SSCs), as reflected by their increased frequency and osteochondrogenic potential. Based on multiple assays, CCN3 emerged as the most promising secreted pro-osteogenic factor from ARCKISS1 neurons, acting on mouse and human SSCs at low subnanomolar concentrations independent of age or sex. That brain-derived CCN3 promotes bone formation was further confirmed by in vivo gain- and loss-of-function studies. Notably, a transient rise in CCN3 appears in ARCKISS1 neurons in estrogen-depleted lactating females coincident with increased bone remodeling and high calcium demand. Our findings establish CCN3 as a potentially new therapeutic osteoanabolic hormone that defines a novel female-specific brain-bone axis for ensuring mammalian species survival.

neuroscience↗