Leader: Nicola Baldini (UNIBO); Other collaborator(s):
Validation of biomarkers, including circulating biochemical/metabolic and mobility markers as determined by wearable devices, to assess the musculoskeletal disability and the risk of fracture in elderly subjects, also by means of artificial intelligence tools. Identification of radiomic tools to assess the role of adipose tissue in the development of inflammation of articular structures in subjects with metabolic syndrome and to evaluate bone homeostasis in patients with secondary bone loss. Association of bone mass and fracture risk in patients with abnormal lipid metabolism and vascular calcification. Assessment of citrate metabolism in subjects with stones of the urinary tract, systemic reduced bone mass, and tooth loss.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results: We started to set up the method for the analysis of the quality and quantity of Type I collagen, as a biomarker of bone health, on bovine bone, through FTIR, standard tissue section staining (trichrome staining) and dual-photon microscopy. Once the protocol of analysis is defined, we will use the method to analyze bone samples from osteoporotic patients.
We have drafted the ethics committee request for a clinical study on patients with bone fragility. The study will aim to determine serum levels of biomarkers associated with age-related conditions, including NfL, GDF15, soluble (s)RAGE, FGF21, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-alpha.
Cell cultures of pre-adipocytes were obtained by adipogenic differentiation of commercial bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) to study their interaction with cells of bone microenvironment. We optimized in vitro culture parameters to achieve lineage commitment of mesenchymal progenitors towards the adipogenic phenotype. Our investigation specifically focused on validating the efficacy of specific growth factors in promoting adipogenic differentiation while preserving cell viability. Waiting for the ethic committee approval in order to start the recruitment of the patients.
Attendance at the internal meeting in:
Main policy/industry/practice implications: planning to publish the systematic review devoted to HL tools and begin the filed activities both in hospital as well as in the House of Community.
Development and validation of a Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) method to assess the quality and quantity of carbonate hydroxyapatite in animal bone tissues as a potential biomarker of bone health. Application of this method to bone samples from patients with femoral neck fractures and patients with severe osteoarthritis. Preliminary data suggest that FTIR analysis of carbonate hydroxyapatite can be a useful tool for assessing bone tissue quality and identifying potential biomarkers associated with bone fragility.
Performance of a quantitative analysis on FTIR spectra measured in bone samples from patients with femoral neck fractures and patients with severe osteoarthritis. This analysis aimed to quantify the level of carbonate substitution within the hydroxyapatite crystal lattice, which can influence the material's crystallinity. Specifically, two metrics were used:
- the ratio between the area under the carbonate absorbance curve and the area under the phosphate absorbance curve;
- the ratio between the intensity of the carbonate peak and that of the phosphate peak.
During these months, research activities included Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analysis of bone samples to investigate hydroxyapatite crystallinity and carbonate content, revealing potential gender-related variations in bone mineral properties. Additionally, we conducted a comprehensive literature review on in vitro models of bone marrow adipose tissue and its association with skeletal health