Microtubule stability determines mechanosensitivity
In response to increased mechanical load, osteocytes promote bone formation by reducing the abundance of sclerostin, an inhibitor of the cells that build bone. Lyons et al. found that mechanical stress activated reactive oxygen species production and Ca2+ influx to decrease sclerostin abundance in cultured osteocytes. The sensitivity of this pathway to mechanical stress correlated with the extent of a particular posttranslational modification called detyrosination, which stabilizes the microtubule network. Thus, pharmacological manipulations that alter microtubule detyrosination in osteocytes could be an effective strategy to counteract conditions characterized by low bone density.
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