The study offers a novel concept of how caspase-3 deficiency alters the development of stem cells leading to osteoporosis.
Given the demonstrated influence of the caspase-3 inhibitor on bone mineral density, the authors highlight the necessity for careful consideration of any future application of caspase-3 inhibitors some of which are currently being assessed in animal studies for the treatment of some degenerative diseases in the treatment of human disease. This caution would apply particularly to postmenopausal women as such treatment may adversely affect their bone mineral density.
TITLE: A crucial role of caspase-3 in osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal stem cells
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Songtao Shi
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Phone: 301-435-4584; Fax: 301-402-0824; E-mail: sshi@dir.nidcr.nih.gov.
A PDF of this article is available at: http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/114/12/1704.
Immune cooperation foils influenza A virus infection
Influenza A virus (fluA) is a major human pathogen. The role of certain white bloods cells, known as natural killer (NK) cells, in the innate immune response to fluA is not well u
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Contact: Brooke Grindlinger
press_releases@the-jci.org
212-342-9006
Journal of Clinical Investigation
15-Dec-2004