Scientists from Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the internal regulatory mechanism of osteocalcin in the central nervous system

The bone-derived hormone osteocalcin (OCN) is essential for brain development and nerve function, but the regulatory mechanism of OCN in the central nervous system (CNS) is still unclear
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Recently, a team of scientists from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences published a titled "Osteocalcin attenuates oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination via GPR37 signaling in the brain" in "Science Advances", and found that osteocalcin can pass through G protein-coupled receptor 37 (GPCR37).

) Regulate oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination

Researchers found that OCN gene deletion promotes the differentiation of oligodendrocytes and myelin hyperplasia in the central nervous system
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Although OCN is not necessary for the proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells, OCN is essential for the myelination of oligodendrocytes.
It affects myelination and remyelination after demyelination injury
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Genome-wide RNA sequencing analysis showed that OCN regulates the expression of many G protein-coupled receptors and myelin-related transcription factors, among which myelin gene regulatory factor (Myrf) may be a key downstream effector in oligodendrocytes
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GPCR37 was identified as a previously unknown OCN receptor that regulates oligodendrocyte differentiation and CNS myelination
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Taken together, these findings indicate that OCN regulates the transition between oligodendrocyte precursor cells and myelinated oligodendrocytes through GPCR37 signaling, and the OCN/GPCR37 pathway thus regulates myelin homeostasis in the central nervous system
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