Osteocalcin as a Regulator of Energy Metabolism

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The fact that an adipocyte-derived hormone like leptin regulates bone remodeling raises the project that bone cells may in turn influence adipocyte biology. While testing this hypothesis we identified a gene, Esp, encoding a tyrosine phosphatase whose osteoblast-specific deletion results in an increase in insulin and adiponectin secretion by pancreatic cells and adipocytes respectively. Looking for substrates of the Esp gene product we noted that Osteocalcin-deficient mice had a phenotype that is the mirror image of the one observed in Esp-deficient mice. Osteocalcin -/- mice display a decrease in insulin and in adiponectin secretion. Moreover, removing one allele of osteocalcin sufficed to correct the entire metabolic phenotype of the Esp -/- mice. Based on these and additional published preliminary data we have shown that osteocalcin is a hormone regulating insulin secretion and sensitivity we now intend to foster our molecular understanding of how osteocalcin regulates energy metabolism. To achieve this goal we propose the following specific aims: 1. To demonstrate that gamma carboxylase is a target of OST-PTP, the Esp gene product in vivo 2. To generate mice lacking, in osteoblasts only, the Vitamin K epoxy reductase C1, another enzyme involved in carboxylation of osteocalcin 3. To determine whether bones, through osteocalcin, are responsible of the increase in insulin secretion observed in absence of leptin 4. To define how insulin signaling in osteoblasts regulates osteocalcin expression or bioactivity. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE. Type 2 diabetes and obesity is a growing public concern. Here we identified a potential new hormone regulating glucose metabolism. This hormone may be an important therapeutic tool in the fight against the metabolic syndrome.