Proteins that belong to the hedgehog signaling pathway (named for SEGA's video game character Sonic the Hedgehog because of the appearance of mutant phenotype which causes a Drosophila embryo to be covered with pointy denticles, resembling a hedgehog) have been previously shown to have vital roles in the early stages of organism development. In a study published in this month's issue of Cell Metabolism, they were also found to be linked to regulating fat and bone production in adult organisms.

"In mammals, it appears that hedgehog signaling regulates adult stem cells, diverting them from forming fat cells and redirecting them to become bone," Dr. Graff said. "Unfortunately, as humans age the opposite tends to happen. That is, the amount of bone cells that we have decreases, while the amount of fat cells we have increases.

"Perhaps as we age, hedgehog signals become blocked or decreased. This study implies that if we block hedgehog signals, humans would have less bone and more fat. Conversely, if we can activate the pathway, we might be able to prevent or reverse osteoporosis and simultaneously prevent or reduce fat accumulation," he said.

Dr. Graff further points out that development of therapeutic agents targeting the regulation of the hedgehog pathway are already underway.

"The drugs already in clinical development might be useful for this purpose as well," Dr. Graff said. "If medicine could stimulate the hedgehog pathway in adults, those adults could potentially not only get leaner and become more fit, but could also add bone mass as well. That could affect obesity, diabetes, lipodystrophy and osteoporosis, all of which are major human diseases."

Source: Southwestern Medical Center