A recent piece of research at the National Centre of Cell Science in Pune might come as good news for post-menopausal women,who are often at a greater risk of fractures,arthritis and osteoporosis. Researchers at the institute have found for the first time that interleukin-3,or IL-3,a cytokine that regulates blood cell production,may inhibit the formation of osteoclasts,cell types that chew up bones and cause bone loss. IL-3 is produced by T-lymphocytes. Says Dr Mohan Wani,scientist at NCCS,IL-3 has showed anti-inflammatory activity in mice and protected bone and cartilage loss in inflammatory arthritis in mice. The team at NCCS developed an animal model of human rheumatoid arthritis,an inflammatory disorder that leads to destruction of joints,and showed by radiological examination that IL-3 treatment prevented damage to the articular cartilage. Mice treated with IL-3 showed few inflammatory cells, Wani says,adding,This is the first evidence that IL-3 plays an important role in the modulation of the regulatory T (Treg) cells. The findings have been published in a recent issue of the Journal of Immunology. His group has now found that IL-3 also inhibits in vitro formation of human osteoclasts and bone resorption. Wani,the recipient of the BM Birla Science Prize by BM Birla Science Centre,Hyderabad and the National Bioscience Award by Department of Biotechnology,Govt of India,is further investigating these findings in animal models of human osteoporosis,and is also testing IL-3 toxicity in preclinical studies. Important bone diseases such as osteoporosis,rheumatoid arthritis,and bone metastasis of breast and prostate cancers are caused by increased osteoclast activity. Therefore,to understand both pathogenesis and successful treatment of these bone diseases there is a need for better understanding of the biology of osteoclasts,says Dr G C Mishra,Director of NCCS. While the research has been done in mice,we will need further studies before clinical trials can be possible, he adds.
