News Release

Turning on hormone tap could aid osteoporosis fight

Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of Manchester

A potential new drug that 'opens the taps' for the release of useful hormones could stimulate new bone growth – and may eventually bring relief to osteoporosis sufferers.

The exciting potential of so-called negative allosteric modulators will be put under the microscope at a special symposium at The Federation of European Pharmacological Societies (EPHAR) 2008 Congress at The University of Manchester, UK, today (Wednesday, July 16).

European pharmacologists meeting in Manchester will present work that focuses on the stimulation of parathyroids – tiny glands located above the thyroids that control the release of the parathyroid (PTH) hormone into the bloodstream.

When the concentration of calcium is too low in the blood's plasma, PTH is released and acts on various tissues to increase the level of calcium in the blood. This calcium then activates the calcium sensing receptor on the parathyroid cell, which then reduces PTH release.

The first POSITIVE allosteric modulator was recently introduced into clinical practice for treating patients displaying high levels of PTH in the plasma – such as those with chronic kidney disease on dialysis and those displaying hypercalcaemia with parathyroid cancer. It mimics the effect of calcium on the receptor and so reduces PTH release.

But now attention is switching to NEGATIVE allosteric modulators, which have been shown in pre-clinical trials to block the effect of calcium on the parathyroid cell and thus increase the release of PTH in the serum.

"Daily administration of a negative allosteric modulator of the calcium sensing receptor should promote a sustained increase of PTH in such a way that it will stimulate new bone formation," said symposium organiser Martial Ruat, a neuropharmacologist at the government funded Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique in France.

"Now clinical trials will have to demonstrate the effectiveness and suitability of negative allosteric modulators for treating osteoporosis in humans."

While pharmacologists are excited and encouraged by results so far, Dr Ruat says it will be at least another eight to 10 years before negative allosteric modulators are passed for use in patients "Osteoporosis is a complex disease and the timescale might be rather long," says Dr Ruat, who is himself carrying out research to learn more about the potential benefits of both negative and positive allosteric modulators.

He added: "The calcium sensing receptor is also found in the kidney, the intestine, in some vascular and bone cells and also in the brain. We still need to identify the roles of this receptor in these tissues before being able to specify novel applications of these drugs."

Negative and positive allosteric modulators are also being studied by European pharmacologists with a view to identifying the functions of calcium sensing receptors in the control of blood pressure.

###

Notes for editors

About EPHAR 2008

The Federation of European Pharmacological Societies Congress 2008 (EPHAR 2008) (www.ephar2008.org) is being hosted by The British Pharmacological Society (www.bps.ac.uk) in Manchester from 13 to 17 July 2008. The scientific programme includes plenary lectures, 20 symposia, poster and oral communications and trade exhibition.

About The BPS

The BPS, including its Clinical Pharmacology Section, is the professional association for pharmacologists in the UK and is one of the leading pharmacological societies in the world. The history of the Society originates in 1931 when a group of pharmacologists met in Oxford and decided to form a learned society. Since those small beginnings the Society has grown to around 2,500 members, who work in academia, industry and the health services, and many are medically qualified. The Society covers the whole spectrum of pharmacology, including the laboratory, clinical and toxicological aspects.

The object of the Society is to promote and advance pharmacology, including clinical pharmacology. In pursuance of this the Society will, among other activities:

  • assist, promote and encourage research and provide a forum for the presentation of pharmacology;
  • publish the results of research;
  • promote and encourage the education and training of pharmacologists;
  • publish material in various forms;
  • promote and arrange conferences and meetings.


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.