Science journal: Osteocalcin hormone-mediated mechanism of oligodendrocyte myelination

Osteocalcin (Osteocalcin, OCN) is a multifunctional bone-derived hormone that can regulate a variety of physiological activities

Fully elucidating the exact function of OCN in the central nervous system (CNS) is of great significance for discovering therapeutic targets for central nervous system diseases

A research team led by Li Xiang, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, revealed the molecular mechanism of OCN-mediated myelination of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system

Their research was published in the October 22nd issue of "Science Advances"

The researchers first used OCN-deficient mouse models to study the effect of OCN on the myelination of the central nervous system

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are glial cells that form myelin in the central nervous system

By using OCN-deficient mouse models, primary OL culture and exogenous OCN treatment, they found that OCN gene deletion promotes OL differentiation and hypermyelination through the central nervous system transcription factor Myrf

In order to identify the receptor of OCN in OLs, the researchers combined RNA sequencing, allogeneic system biophysical analysis and in vivo mouse model verification, and finally proved that GPR37 is the receptor of OCN and mediates its function in OLs

These findings not only confirm the new role of OCN hormone in the central nervous system, but also reveal the molecular basis of OCN function through the activation of GPR37 signals

Article title

Osteocalcin attenuates oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination via GPR37 signaling in the mouse brain