Biologie de l'os et du cartilage : régulations et ciblage thérapeutique
Présentation
Biology of bone and cartilage: regulations and therapeutical targets
The research unit is dedicated to the pathophysiology of bone and cartilage diseases. Our aim is to characterize the mechanisms that regulate the function of bone and cartilage cells and to identify the molecular targets that result in the development of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
In order to address the current scientific challenges, different approaches are conducted by the scientists and the clinicians to bring basic knowledge to clinical research and applications. Our approach is to study the determinants of bone and joint fragility by the development of tools transferable to translational research. Our goals are to identify and characterize the regulatory molecules of bone and cartilage metabolism and their clinical impact. The specific animal models we have developed explore new targets that are translated to humans through the specific recruitment of patients with osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in the clinical department of rheumatology and orthopedic surgery. The biochemical and molecular techniques as well as the cellular and animal models are then translated using a collection of bone and cartilage tissues as well as human serum samples.
Our projects are funded by public and private grants (ANR, Europe, foundations, PHRC). We are supported by networks at the local level (DIM and reference center), at the international level (crystal network, collaborations) and benefit from the support of the pharmaceutical industry.
Thèmes de recherche
The team "bone - cartilage and microenvironment" is led by M. Cohen-Solal and is composed of 2 full-time researchers and 7 academic researchers.
The team investigates the mechanisms of bone and cartilage loss through different approaches:
The role of the proteoglycan in cell-cell interactions with bone and cartilage microenvironment.
The mechanisms of interaction between bone and cartilage to characterize the role of bone cells such as osteoclasts in mechanical-induced osteoarthritis with a special focus in the role of Wnt molecules involved in the crosstalk.
The characterization of microcrystalline stress on the cartilage and the role of microcrystals in chondrocyte metabolism and apoptosis. This work is translated to humans through joint samples and cohorts.
The team "bone formation" is directed by V. Geoffroy, DR Inserm. This includes 3 full time researchers and 3 academic researchers. The projects focus on the characterization of different levels of regulation of bone formation and their interactions.
Our specific aims are:
Elucidating how osteoblasts controls the replication, differentiation and survival of mesenchymal stromal cells within the osteoblast niche in the adult bone marrow and the involvement of N-Cadherin in these processes (Pierre Marie),
Characterizing the different levels of gene regulation and their possible cross-talk in osteoblast i.e post-transcriptional regulation of the Runx2 gene expression by micro-RNA (Valerie Geoffroy).
Evaluation of genetic or epigenetic gene variations (SNP and methylation) that are controlling bone formation (Frederic Jehan),
To provide a comprehensive understanding of how the serotoninergic system controls bone formation (Corinne Collet, Marie-Christine de Vernejoul)
Identification of the genetic variants of Lrp5 in order to characterize their function and their potential use as a biomarker (Corinne Collet).
The team Atip-Avenir “Hypoxia in skeletal development and bone metastasis”
The team Atip-Avenir “Hypoxia in skeletal development and bone metastasis” directed by S. Provot studies the role of hypoxia and Hif-1alpha in skeletal development, and evaluates how their effects within the bone microenvironment could contribute to bone metastasis.
Autres contacts
Hôpital Lariboisière
Secteur violet, porte 4, Centre Viggo-Petersen
2, rue Ambroise-Paré
75475 PARIS CEDEX 10
