VGF and the VGF-derived peptide AQEE30 stimulate osteoblastic bone formation through the C3a receptor.

ABSTRACT: New therapeutic targets, especially those that stimulate bone formation in cortical bone, are needed to overcome the limitations of current antiosteoporotic drugs. We previously demonstrated that factors secreted from megakaryocytes (MKs) promote bone formation. Here we conducted a proteomic analysis to identify a novel bone-forming factor from MK secretions. We revealed that Vgf, a nerve growth factor-responsive gene, and its derived active peptide AQEE30 in MK-conditioned medium play important roles in osteoblast proliferation and in vitro bone formation. In both Vgf-deficient male and female mice, the cortical bone mass was significantly decreased due to reductions in osteoblast number and bone formation activity. AQEE30 stimulated intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) lev

SUBMITTER: Moon SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11958639 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature