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Human sclerostin-inspired short peptides reverse osteoporosis and suppress joint degeneration in osteoarthritis via opposing Wnt pathways - 21/09/25

Doi : 10.1016/j.biopha.2025.118501 
Shivani Sharma a, b, d, 1, Chirag Kulkarni a, c, d, 1, Neeraj K. Verma e, f, 1, Swati Srivastava g, Rosebin Babu h, Anupam Ghosh h, Nandita Dasgupta d, i, Arvind Gupta e, Simran Preet Kaur j, Leena Sapra j, Swati Rajput a, d, Sreyanko Sadhukhan a, d, Konica Porwal a, Devesh P. Verma e, Mohd. Sayeed e, Asit R. Mridha k, Madan M. Godbole c, Kumaravelu Jagavelu d, l, Rupesh K. Srivastava j, Aravind S. Kshatri m, Kinshuk R. Srivastava n, Arun K. Trivedi g, Shivendu Ranjan h, Jimut K. Ghosh d, e, 2, , Naibedya Chattopadhyay a, d, 3,
a Division of Endocrinology and Centre for Research in ASTHI, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lucknow 226031, India 
b Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA 
c Food and Micronutrient Analysis Laboratory, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, Belagavi 590010, India 
d Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India 
e Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India 
f School of Studies in Biotechnology, Shaheed Mahendra Karma Vishwavidyalaya, Dharampura, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh 494001, India 
g Division of Cancer Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Lucknow 226031, India 
h NanoBio Research Lab, School of Nano Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India 
i Safe-by-Design Materials Lab, Regulatory Toxicology Group, REACT Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), CRK Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226008, India 
j Translational Immunology, Osteoimmunology & Immunoporosis Lab (TIOIL), Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi 110029, India 
k Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India 
l Department of Pharmacology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India 
m Division of Neuroscience and Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow 226031, India 
n Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India 

Corresponding author at: Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India. Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Lucknow 226031 India ⁎⁎ Correspondence to: Endocrinology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road, Lucknow 226031, India. Endocrinology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Sitapur Road Lucknow 226031 India

Abstract

Sclerostin, a key regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, exhibits dual therapeutic potential in bone disorders: its inhibition promotes bone formation in osteoporosis, while its mimicry suppresses aberrant bone growth in osteoarthritis (OA). Using structural insights from NMR studies, we identified two sclerostin-derived peptides: SC-1 (an 18-mer) from loop 2, and SC-3 (a 14-mer) from loop 3. Molecular modeling showed that SC-1 binds to the first ectodomain of LRP6, potentially displacing sclerostin through competitive inhibition to activate Wnt signaling. In contrast, SC-3 occupies the sclerostin/Wnt-binding site on the second ectodomain, thereby mimicking sclerostin's inhibitory function. In ovariectomized (OVX) rats, SC-1 (100 µg/kg) restored bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular architecture, and mechanical strength to sham levels, outperforming teriparatide by coupling bone formation with resorption suppression. In chronic kidney disease-induced osteoporosis, SC-1 reversed osteomalacia and improved renal parameters. Safety assessments showed that SC-1 lacked immunogenicity (no increase in CD11b+ cells) and cardiovascular risks (no hERG inhibition or aortic aneurysms in ApoE⁻/⁻ mice), distinguishing it from romosozumab, a clinically used anti-sclerostin antibody. For OA, SC-3 suppressed subchondral bone formation (via Runx2 and BMP-2 downregulation) and enhanced cartilage matrix synthesis (via Sox-9 and Col-II upregulation). In a rat OA model, weekly SC-3 intra-articular injections (50 µg/kg) for 8 weeks prevented OA progression and normalized bone volume. A single dose of SC-3 (50 µg/kg) delivered in a shear-thinning hydrogel matched multi-dose efficacy, addressing adherence challenges. This study identifies two distinct sclerostin-derived peptides: SC-1, a safe dual-action (anabolic and anti-catabolic) peptide for osteoporosis, and SC-3 for OA, with hydrogel-enabled sustained release enhancing its therapeutic potential.

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Graphical Abstract




 : 

Sclerostin-derived peptides on bone and joint health. SC-1 (derived from sclerostin’s loop 2) and SC-3 (from loop 3) were designed to treat bone and joint disorders. SC-1, identified as a sclerostin antagonist, enhances bone modeling, restores bone mass in rat models of primary and secondary osteoporosis, improves kidney function, maintains vascular integrity, and exhibits no immunogenicity. SC-3, identified as a sclerostin mimetic with anti-osteogenic and pro-chondrogenic effects, preserves cartilage and prevents aberrant bone and osteophyte formation in osteoarthritic rats. A single dose of SC-3-F, a formulated SC-3, provides osteoarthritis relief equivalent to eight weekly unformulated SC-3 doses, reducing treatment frequency by eight times. Future research should explore peptides’ specificity beyond Wnt signaling and validate their efficacy in human clinical trials. PMO, Postmenopausal osteoporosis; CKD, Chronic kidney disease; CVS, Cardio-vascular disease; BMD, Bone mineral density; hERG, Human ether-a-go-go-related gene.


Sclerostin-derived peptides on bone and joint health. SC-1 (derived from sclerostin’s loop 2) and SC-3 (from loop 3) were designed to treat bone and joint disorders. SC-1, identified as a sclerostin antagonist, enhances bone modeling, restores bone mass in rat models of primary and secondary osteoporosis, improves kidney function, maintains vascular integrity, and exhibits no immunogenicity. SC-3, identified as a sclerostin mimetic with anti-osteogenic and pro-chondrogenic effects, preserves cartilage and prevents aberrant bone and osteophyte formation in osteoarthritic rats. A single dose of SC-3-F, a formulated SC-3, provides osteoarthritis relief equivalent to eight weekly unformulated SC-3 doses, reducing treatment frequency by eight times. Future research should explore peptides’ specificity beyond Wnt signaling and validate their efficacy in human clinical trials. PMO, Postmenopausal osteoporosis; CKD, Chronic kidney disease; CVS, Cardio-vascular disease; BMD, Bone mineral density; hERG, Human ether-a-go-go-related gene.

Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.

Highlights

Three peptides (SC-1, SC-2 and SC-3) were identified from NMR insights.
SC-1 (18-mer) competitively inhibits sclerostin, promoting bone formation in osteoporosis models.
SC-1 is safe: no immunogenicity or cardiovascular risks.
SC-3 (14-mer), a sclerostin mimic, inhibits OA progression with efficacy enhanced via formulation.

Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.

Keywords : Sclerostin, Wnt signaling, Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, Peptide therapeutics, Hydrogel delivery


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