The DOI matches its Crossref record; 64 of the 64 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Osteocytic oxygen sensing controls bone mass through epigenetic regulation of sclerostin
Open accessAbstract
Preservation of bone mass is crucial for healthy ageing and largely depends on adequate responses of matrix-embedded osteocytes. These cells control bone formation and resorption concurrently by secreting the WNT/β-catenin antagonist sclerostin (SOST). Osteocytes reside within a low oxygen microenvironment, but whether and how oxygen sensing regulates their function remains elusive. Here, we show that conditional deletion of the oxygen sensor prolyl hydroxylase (PHD) 2 in osteocytes results in a high bone mass phenotype, which is caused by increased bone formation and decreased resorption. Mechanistically, enhanced HIF-1α signalling increases Sirtuin 1-dependent deacetylation of the Sost promoter, resulting in decreased sclerostin expression and enhanced WNT/β-catenin signalling. Additionally, genetic ablation of PHD2 in osteocytes blunts osteoporotic bone loss induced by oestrogen deficiency or mechanical unloading. Thus, oxygen sensing by PHD2 in osteocytes negatively regulates bone mass through epigenetic regulation of sclerostin and targeting PHD2 elicits an osteo-anabolic response in osteoporotic models.
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“Osteocytes can also decrease SOST expression after sensing decreases in oxygen levels.47”
From Bone remodeling: an operational process ensuring survival and bone mechanical competence (2022) · cites this paper as [47]
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Cites
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“…an inhibitor of Wnt signalling in osteocytes and its neutralization may enhance β -cat- enin activity within the osteocyte network (Li et al., 2005; Stegen et al., 2018; Tu et al., 2015; Fulzele et al., 2017; Allison et al., 2020), thereby promoting osteocyte survival and regulating perilacunar…”
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“Changes in oxygen tension and oxidative metabolism further modulate Sost through epigenetic regulation in osteocytes, linking hypoxia and redox imbalance to altered sclerostin output (45).”
The hypoxia signaling pathway in the skeleton
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“Osteoblasts and osteoclasts-oxygen-sensitive regulators of bone homeostasis-exhibit remodeling dynamics modulated by hypoxia (Arnett et al., 2003; Stegen et al., 2018).”
Osteocyte-vascular Interactions in Bone Physiology and Pathology
Gellée, L., & Maurel, D. B. (2026) · Current Osteoporosis Reports · doi:10.1007/s11914-026-00978-x
“Conversely, hypoxia can also promote bone formation through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, as illustrated by osteocyte-specific deletion of Vhl or Phd2 , which reduces Sost expression and leads to a high bone mass phenotype in mice [76, 77].”
李小群, Zhao, J., Bai, G., Wang, X., Wang, Z., Li, J., Xie, Y., Xu, S., Fang, S., & Zhang, Y. (2026) · Genes & Diseases · doi:10.1016/j.gendis.2026.102525
Metadata
- Authors
- Stegen, S., Stockmans, I., Moermans, K., Thienpont, B., Maxwell, P. H., Carmeliet, P., & Carmeliet, G.
- Affiliations
- KU Leuven (BE)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Carmeliet, Geert
- Venue
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2018-07-02
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 2557-2557
- ISSN
- 2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6028485
- OpenAlex
- W2810241167
- Cited by
- 126
- References
- 64
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 14
- FWCI
- 4.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Apollo (University of Cambridge) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Apollo (cc-by)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (096956/Z/11/Z)
- National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0514-10122)
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (12H5917N, G0A4216N)
- Vlaamse regering
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Bone Metabolism and Diseases
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Alkaline Phosphatase Research Studies
- Keywords
- osteocytes, oxygen sensing, prolyl hydroxylase 2, sclerostin, HIF-1α, SIRT1, histone deacetylation, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, bone mass regulation, bone formation, bone resorption, osteoporosis, estrogen deficiency, mechanical unloading, epigenetic regulation
- MeSH terms
- Acetylation, Animals, Carbazoles, Cell Line, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Glycoproteins, Heterocyclic Compounds, 4 or More Rings, Humans, Male, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Transgenic, Osteocytes, Osteogenesis, Osteoporosis, Oxygen, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Bone Density, Coculture Techniques, Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins, Epigenesis, Genetic, Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit, Sirtuin 1, Wnt Signaling Pathway, Primary Cell Culture, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases
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