Abstract
Changes in magnesium metabolism have been reported with aging, in particular related to bone health. Understanding the relationship between magnesium and bone health is crucial for preventative measures for age-related osteoporosis. The research activity of the project "Biomineralization in senescent human mesenchymal stem cells" aims to evaluate total intracellular Mg content in young and senescent human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) using DCHQ5, a fluorescent dye that can accurately quantify total intracellular magnesium content. Magnesium content will be simultaneously assessed by fluorescence spectrometry and the expression of its transporters to correlate their activities with intracellular Mg concentration in both senescent and young cells. The second objective is the elemental analysis of mineral depositions from young and senescent human mesenchymal stem cells performing morphometric measurements and semiquantitative micro- and nano-chemical analyses using electron microscopy.
Results achieved
The project focused on the role of magnesium metabolism in bone aging. The results showed that the aging process induces metabolic changes suggesting a hypermineralization of bone, consistent with the pathological condition known as micropetrosis. This raises questions about the appropriate use of bisphosphonates, the most widely prescribed first-line therapy for osteoporosis, as their mechanism of action, which reduces bone turnover, can cause hypermineralization and bone fragility, as in micropetrosis.Project details
Unibo Team Leader: Stefano Iotti
Unibo involved Department/s:
Dipartimento di Farmacia e Biotecnologie
Coordinator:
CNR - Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche(Italy)
Total Unibo Contribution: Euro (EUR) 48.431,00
Project Duration in months: 24
Start Date:
16/10/2023
End Date:
28/02/2026
