Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is currently increasing focus on aging-related diseases. Osteoporosis is a common disease the incidence of which increases with age. In older patients with osteoporosis, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) have a decreased capacity for osteogenesis and an increased capacity for adipogenesis, causing excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the bone marrow. Therefore, means of reducing bone marrow adiposity may have therapeutic potential for osteoporosis. Apoptotic vesicles (apoVs) participate in a wide range of physiological processes and have been shown to have therapeutic effects in a variety of diseases. The principal objective of this study was to examine the special properties and regulatory mechanisms of BMMSC-derived apoVs in the treatment of bone marrow adiposity. RESULTS: The results showed that apoVs could decrease bone marrow adiposity in osteoporotic mice and prevent adipogenic differentiation of MSCs by activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. CONCLUSION: New apoV-based therapies have potential for the treatment of bone marrow adiposity in patients with aging-related osteoporosis and may be further applicable to the treatment of obesity and aging-related diseases.