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Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition
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Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 4941

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Giovanna Iezzi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medical, Oral and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Chieti-Pescara, Chieti, Italy
Interests: biomaterials; bone regeneration; bioengineering; biomedical engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the physiological mechanisms of bone biology and bone tissue. Bone is a crucial tissue that is involved in a variety of metabolic tasks, including body support, organ protection, mineral deposit, and hematological functions. It has recently been shown that bone tissue has endocrine functions, releasing hormonally active compounds, such as osteocalcin. Bone tissue is constantly rebuilt via the bone remodeling process, which involves osteoclast-mediated bone resorption followed by osteoblast-mediated bone synthesis. The discovery of the processes underlying the pathophysiology of metabolic bone disorders continues to be a major research focus, drawing experts from all medical fields. Furthermore, biomaterial-mediated immune responses regulate fundamental bone processes, such as osteogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and inflammation, demonstrating their importance in biomedical applications.

This Special Issue, “Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition”, aims to provide new knowledge on the regulatory mechanisms of bone regeneration by focusing on the biological interplay between stem cell differentiation, the immune system, and the involvement of novel materials.

Potential topics of interest for this Special Issue include the following:

  • Mechanisms of bone regeneration;
  • Innovative materials for bone regeneration;
  • Future bone tissue engineering applications;
  • Pathophysiology of metabolic bone diseases;
  • Role and use of stem cells in bone regeneration and repair;
  • Crosstalk between bone cells and immune cells;
  • Endocrine activities of bone tissue.

We welcome the submission of original articles, reviews, and communications by experts in this field. This Special Issue is supervised by Prof. Giovanna Iezzi, who is assisted by our Topical Advisory Panel Members—Dr. Emira D’Amico and Dr. Tania Vanessa Pierfelice (University of Chieti-Pescara).

Volume I of the Special Issue: “Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue”

Prof. Dr. Giovanna Iezzi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bone
  • stem cells
  • immunomodulation
  • biomaterials
  • bone regeneration
  • bone repair
  • bone diseases

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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29 pages, 5936 KB  
Article
Comparative Bone-Protective Effects of Tocotrienol Isomers from Palm and Annatto in Dexamethasone-Induced Osteoporotic Male Rats
by Elvy Suhana Mohd Ramli, Fairus Ahmad, Nur Aqilah Kamaruddin, Kok-Yong Chin, Ima Nirwana Soelaiman and Kok-Lun Pang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(20), 10206; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262010206 - 20 Oct 2025
Viewed by 981
Abstract
Oxidative stress brought on by prolonged glucocorticoid therapy reduces bone growth, structure, and mechanical qualities. Free radicals promote osteoclastic activity and are harmful to osteoblasts. As an antioxidant, tocotrienol offers protection against illnesses linked to free radicals. Annatto tocotrienol (ATT) is a tocopherol-free [...] Read more.
Oxidative stress brought on by prolonged glucocorticoid therapy reduces bone growth, structure, and mechanical qualities. Free radicals promote osteoclastic activity and are harmful to osteoblasts. As an antioxidant, tocotrienol offers protection against illnesses linked to free radicals. Annatto tocotrienol (ATT) is a tocopherol-free tocotrienol, and palm tocotrienol (PTT) is a tocotrienol mixture. Finding out how ATT and PTT protect against glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis was the aim of this study. In this study, 32 mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were employed. Twenty-four rats were divided into three groups: Dex, Dex + PTT, and Dex + ATT, after being adrenalectomized. A sham surgery was performed on the remaining eight rats. The Dex group received oral vehicle palm olein (0.1 mL/kg/day) and intramuscular injection of dexamethasone (120 µg/kg/day). Dexamethasone 120 µg/kg/day was administered intramuscularly to the Dex + PTT and Dex + ATT group, and palm tocotrienol (PTT) and annatto tocotrienol (ATT) 60 mg/kg/day were added as a supplement. Vehicle palm olein was administered intramuscularly to the sham-operated rats, 0.05 mL/kg/day and 0.1 mL/kg/day orally. The treatments were administered for two months before the rats were euthanized. The biomechanical strength of the femoral bones was evaluated, and the structural characteristics of bone histomorphometry were examined. According to the findings, prolonged glucocorticoid therapy resulted in decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, increased lipid peroxidation, and bone carboxy-terminal collagen cross-linkages (CTX). Bone Volume/Tissue Volume (BV/TV) and Trabecular Number (Tb.N) were drastically reduced, which severely reduced bone biomechanical strength. There were also alterations in the bone formation and resorption gene expressions. Lipid peroxidation, CTX levels, and SOD activity were all considerably maintained at control levels by PTT and ATT intake. Additionally, it preserved the biomechanical strength and bone structure, as well as maintaining the gene expressions. According to the study’s findings, ATT and PTT may have anabolic and anti-resorptive properties and have the potential to be utilized as a prophylactic for individuals receiving long-term glucocorticoid therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 267 KB  
Article
The Influence of Clinical Factors and Genetic Variants of COL1A1 and TNFRSF11B on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women
by Katarzyna Kotrych, Maciej Wojtuń, Aleksandra Górska, Anna Bogacz, Michał Soczawa, Izabela Uzar, Jarosław Gorący, Maciej Brązert, Bogusław Czerny and Adam Kamiński
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(18), 8894; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26188894 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1493
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a chronic metabolic disease characterised by reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and increased susceptibility to fractures. Its development is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors that regulate bone metabolism. Among the genes involved in bone metabolism, COL1A1 and TNFRSF11B (OPG) [...] Read more.
Osteoporosis is a chronic metabolic disease characterised by reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and increased susceptibility to fractures. Its development is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors that regulate bone metabolism. Among the genes involved in bone metabolism, COL1A1 and TNFRSF11B (OPG) are particularly important. The COL1A1 gene encodes the alpha-1 chain of type I collagen, a major component of the bone matrix, and plays a key role in maintaining bone mechanical strength. The TNFRSF11B gene encodes osteoprotegerin (OPG), a protein that inhibits bone resorption by binding the RANKL ligand and blocking osteoclast activation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the association between the rs1107946 and rs1800012 polymorphisms of the COL1A1 gene and the rs2073617 polymorphism of the TNFRSF11B (OPG) gene and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. The study included 590 postmenopausal women: 350 healthy controls, 105 with osteopenia, and 135 with osteoporosis. Genotyping was performed using real-time PCR and LightSNiP probes. Associations between genetic variables and BMD were assessed, taking into account environmental factors (BMI, smoking). The presence of the T allele of the rs1800012 variant was initially associated with lower BMD and an increased risk of osteopenia, but this association lost significance after adjustment for BMI and smoking. For rs1107946 and rs2073617,no statistically significant associations were observed. These findings suggest that the studied SNPs have, at most, modest effects on BMD, with environmental influences playing a stronger role. Further research in larger and more diverse cohorts, including FRAX-based risk estimation, is warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition)
15 pages, 3316 KB  
Article
Evaluation of Collagenic Porcine Bone Blended with a Collagen Gel for Bone Regeneration: An In Vitro Study
by Tania Vanessa Pierfelice, Chiara Cinquini, Morena Petrini, Emira D’Amico, Camillo D’Arcangelo, Antonio Barone and Giovanna Iezzi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(15), 7621; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26157621 - 6 Aug 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1226
Abstract
A thermosensitive collagen-based gel (TSV gel), containing type I and III collagen, has been developed to improve the handling and stability of bone graft materials. However, its direct effect on osteoblasts is not well understood. This in vitro study evaluated the biological response [...] Read more.
A thermosensitive collagen-based gel (TSV gel), containing type I and III collagen, has been developed to improve the handling and stability of bone graft materials. However, its direct effect on osteoblasts is not well understood. This in vitro study evaluated the biological response of human oral osteoblasts to four bone substitutes: OsteoBiol® GTO® (larger granules with 20% TSV gel), Gen-OS® (smaller granules), Gen-OS® combined with 50% TSV gel (Gen-OS®+TSV), and TSV gel alone. Cell proliferation, adhesion, morphology, collagen and calcium deposition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, gene expression of osteogenic markers and integrins, and changes in pH and extracellular calcium and phosphate levels were investigated. All materials supported osteoblast activity, but Gen-OS+TSV and GTO showed the most pronounced effects. These two groups promoted better cell adhesion and proliferation, higher ALP activity, and greater matrix mineralization. GTO improved cell adhesion, while the addition of TSV gel to Gen-OS enhanced biological responses compared with Gen-OS alone. Integrins α2, α5, β1, and β3, important for cell attachment to collagen, were notably upregulated in Gen-OS+TSV and GTO. Both groups also showed increased expression of osteogenic markers such as BMP-2, ALP, and osteocalcin (OCN). Higher extracellular ion concentrations and a more alkaline pH were observed, particularly in conditions without cells, suggesting active ion uptake by osteoblasts. In conclusion, combining TSV gel with collagen-based granules improves the cellular environment for osteoblast activity and may support bone regeneration more effectively than using either component alone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 3416 KB  
Case Report
Previously Unreported TMEM38B Variant in Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type XIV: A Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature
by Thomas Zoller, Martina Righetti, Riccardo Cont, Ruggero Lanzafame, Irene Ambrosetti, Alessandra Guzzo, Angelo Pietrobelli and Franco Antoniazzi
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(24), 12169; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262412169 - 18 Dec 2025
Viewed by 633
Abstract
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type XIV is a rare recessive disorder caused by TMEM38B pathogenic variants that disrupt an endoplasmic reticulum protein essential for calcium homeostasis and bone mineralization. This leads to severe bone fragility, early-onset fractures, skeletal deformities, low bone mass, scoliosis, and [...] Read more.
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type XIV is a rare recessive disorder caused by TMEM38B pathogenic variants that disrupt an endoplasmic reticulum protein essential for calcium homeostasis and bone mineralization. This leads to severe bone fragility, early-onset fractures, skeletal deformities, low bone mass, scoliosis, and variable features like blue sclerae or dental abnormalities. We present a case report of a 21-year-old Italian male with a novel homozygous TMEM38B splice variant (c.112 + 1G > T), detailing the clinical presentation, genetic findings, and therapeutic outcomes. The patient exhibited multiple skeletal deformities and showed a moderate response to bisphosphonate therapy (neridronate). In addition, a systematic review of PubMed and Scopus identified 12 relevant studies from an initial set of 82 publications, encompassing data from 56 patients diagnosed with OI type XIV. Unlike classical collagen-related OI, TMEM38B-related OI necessitates genetic screening beyond classical collagen genes (COL1A1 and COL1A2). While bisphosphonates provide some clinical benefit, persistent fractures underscore the need for long-term management and innovative therapies. This case report and systematic review enhance understanding of OI type XIV and underscore the clinical importance of TMEM38B variants in bone fragility disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Studies of Bone Biology and Bone Tissue: 2nd Edition)
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