They discovered CCN3, a hormone that can strengthen bones.

A team of scientists from the University of California has discovered a hormone that could revolutionize the treatment of osteoporosis. The study, published in the journal Nature, describes how the hormone CCN3, found in female mice during lactation, strengthens bones and could be key to developing new treatments for the disease.

Until now, science has been unable to explain how breastfeeding women maintain healthy bones, despite the calcium being used to make milk for their babies. The mystery has begun to be solved thanks to the discovery of a hormone called CCN3 by researchers at the University of California in a study of mice and human cells.

Research suggests the hormone has the ability to strengthen bones and repair fractures, making it a potential therapeutic target for osteoporosis, a disease that affects one in three women and one in five men over 50.

During breastfeeding, women experience a drop in estrogen, a key hormone responsible for maintaining bone mass. However, unlike other times of estrogen decline, such as menopause, when bone loss occurs, breastfeeding women maintain surprisingly strong bone health. A University of California study suggests that CCN3, a hormone produced in the brain and released into the blood during breastfeeding, is responsible for protecting bones.

Experts urge caution

Dr. Holly Ingram, senior author of the study and professor of cellular molecular pharmacology, notes that the discovery of CCN3 in mice opened up new avenues for treating skeletal diseases. “In subsequent studies, we found that CCN3 can build and strengthen bone, which is promising for diseases like osteoporosis, fracture healing, and other bone disorders,” Ingram explains.

Despite the promising results in mice, experts urge caution. Pilar Peris, a rheumatologist at the Barcelona Hospital Clinic, stresses that human studies are still needed: “This is an interesting study, but we need data in humans to confirm its significance.” For his part, Esteban Yodar, a member of the Mineral and Bone Metabolism Group of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition, highlights the potential of CCN3 as a therapeutic target, although he warns that more research is needed to confirm these results.

The discovery of CCN3 is an important step toward understanding female bone biology and bone protection during lactation. Although much remains to be learned, this advance opens new avenues for developing more effective treatments for osteoporosis. @mundiario

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