Using Genetic Mutation to Increase Bone Density and Prevent Bones from Breaking

Using Genetic Mutation to Increase Bone Density and Prevent Bones from Breaking

When an athlete got into a car accident and it was found that he had no fractured bones, a research was conducted on his physical, biological and genetic behavior. It was concluded that this athlete had a bone density eight times higher than an average person, which was surprising and astonishing to researchers.

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After an avalanche of research, science has come up with a drug that can enhance bone density, a revolutionary medicine which can be improvised to treat diseases like osteoporosis.

Even though humans have thrived off awe-inspiring research and development in the last few decades backed by science, still, very little is known about our biological makeup and there are many complications in our bodies that we simply do not understand. However, extensive research on genetics can reveal facts and figures that might lead to a problem-solving solution.

Osteoporosis, one of the most common diseases that have affected hundreds of millions of lives, is like a kryptonite for humans. It causes bones to become brittle and fragile, which makes it easier for them to get fractured, in case of an accident. According to biologists, this ‘may be’ the cause of waning calcium and vitamin D levels or hormonal changes. However, they aren’t sure what it is that actually causes this condition.

On the contrary, there may be a solution;

Back in 1994, when an athlete was involved in a car accident, it was discovered that there wasn’t a single fracture in the man’s bones. This led Karl Insogna to an investigation, which resulted in a fascinating research on genetic mutation.

In Western Reserve University, Matthew Warman and his team found a gene mutation which they named ‘LRP5 (LDL receptor related protein 5)’. The same gene mutation (LRP5) was discovered by Mark Johnson and his colleagues at ORC (Osteoporosis Research Center) at Creighton University.

This confirmed that LRP5 was the real deal, which linked it to several other discoveries that could help develop treatments for osteoporosis and other skeletal disorders. The biggest discovery linked to LRP5 was the WNT signaling pathway that motivated other biologists to research this genetic mutation. This pathway is actually a cluster of molecules that are responsible for the development and growth of our tissues.

What these investigators and researchers had hoped to discover at the time, is coming to life as we speak. Teriparatide, a drug manufactured by Eli Lilly Co. has helped decrease vertebral fractures by 90%. However, this drug is still insufficient to cure osteoporosis but is a good alternative to HRT (hormone replacement therapy). HRT is known to have severe side-effects that can lead to breast and endometrial cancer.

In order to take full advantage of drugs like Teriparatide, which triggers genetic mutations to increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis, we need to research gene-mutation more extensively.

Significant research on LRP5 can lead to other discoveries, which might help us in developing the perfect drug capable of curing bone-related diseases by triggering specific gene-mutations that enhance bone density, while making them more resistant to fracture and everyday wear and tear.

You now have 20 topics to choose from and a sample paper to supplement your own research paper on genetics in the 21st centurY