Osteoblast menin regulates bone mass in vivo

Abstract

Background: Constitutive homozygous Men1-/- mice at mid-gestation are small with craniofacial defects. Results: Conditional osteoblast Men1 knock-out mice have reduced bone mass, and transgenic osteoblast menin-overexpressing mice have increased bone mass. Conclusion: Knock-out mice menin-deficient primary osteoblasts have impaired mineralization and reduced responsiveness to TGF-β and BMP-2. Significance: Menin is a potential target for gain of function therapeutics in low bone mass disorders.