IN VITRO AND IN VIVO MODELS FOR SCREENING COMPOUNDS TO PREVENT GLUCOCORTICOID-INDUCED BONE DESTRUCTION

摘要

The present invention demonstrates that glucocorticoid-induced bone disease is due to changes in the birth and death rate of bone cells using a murine mode l of glucocorticoid excess as well as bone biopsy specimens obtained from patients with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. This invention demonstrat es that glucocorticoid administration increases apoptosis of mature osteoblasts and osteocytes and decreases bone formation rate and bone mineral density accompanied by defective osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis in the bo ne marrow.