SCREENING METHODS TO IDENTIFY COMPOUNDS WHICH EFFECT OSTEOCLAST-SPECIFIC PHOSPHOTYROSYL PHOSPHATASE (PTP-oc) ACTIVITY

摘要

A screen for osteoclast-specific, anti-bone resorption and/or bone resorption-stimulating pharmaceutical drug therapies to treat patients with bone wasting diseases, including osteopenia and osteoporosis and low bone turnover disease, such as osteopetrosis and aplastic renal bone disease, respectively, is provided. The screening method, as set forth in the figure, targets the signal transduction mechanism of bone resorption and employs a novel osteoclastic phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTP-oc), which is an important regulator of the signal transduction mechanism of osteoclasts, as a specific target in high intensity screening tests to identify low molecular mass, potent and specific inhibitors and/or stimulators of this osteoclastic enzyme activity.