Neutralizing hepatic apolipoprotein E enhances aged bone fracture healing.

ABSTRACT: Advanced age impairs bone fracture healing; the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon remains unknown. We determined that apolipoprotein E (ApoE) increases with age and causes poor fracture healing. After deletion of hepatic ApoE expression (ΔApoE), 24-month-old ΔApoE mice displayed a 95% reduction in circulating ApoE levels and significantly improved fracture healing. ApoE treatment of aged BMSCs inhibited osteoblast differentiation in tissue culture models; RNA-seq, Western blot, immunofluorescence, and RT-PCR analyses indicated that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is the target of this inhibition. Indeed, we showed that ApoE had no effect on cultures with stabilized β-catenin levels. Next, we determined that Lrp4 serves as the osteoblast cell surface receptor to ApoE, as expression of Lrp4

SUBMITTER: Huang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12827301 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature