Osteoprotegerin and its Ligand

Overview

Osteoprotegerin and its ligand (so-called RANKL) are substances which influence in an important way bone resorption (OPG inhibits osteoclastogenesis and its ligand stimulates it). Both substances are produced by the osteoblastic cell line, they are found in the blond stream in the free form and they can thus be estimated. The effects of OPG/RANKL are intensely studied in retem years. On animal models evidence was provided tkat OPG deficient mice have osteoporosis and vice ýersa. Also according to the results of the majority of clinical studies it seems tkat there exists an invers relationship between OPG and bone density. There are attempts to apply the OPG/RANKL method in research of malignant primary and secondary osseous fotí, myelomas, vascular calcifications etc. Therapeutic administration of osteoprotegerin in experiments proved useful in individuals with severe osteoporosis, destructive skeletal disease, in metastatizing carcinomas of the mammary gland, large intestine and prostaty, osteosarcoma or after ovariectomy. In thus treated subjects also a significant reduction of experimentally induced calcifications occurred.

Key words:
osteprotegerin - RANKL - RANK - osteoporosis - osteopetrosis - myeloma -