Humanin is a novel regulator of Hedgehog signaling and prevents glucocorticoid‐induced bone growth impairment

What is it about?

Glucocorticoids (GCs) treatment frequently given to children with various chronic disorders is also known to impair bone growth. Clinical studies have shown that long-term treatment with high doses of GCs often leads to pronounced growth failure. Today, there is no therapy available for the prevention of GC-induced bone growth impairment in treated children. New strategy to rescue bone growth in these patients is, therefore, highly desired. We report a novel strategy to efficiently prevent GC-induced bone growth impairment by using a small peptide, humanin. Treatment with humanin rescued young mice from GC-induced bone growth impairment without interfering with the anti-inflammatory effects of GCs. Humanin also prevented bone growth impairment triggered by vismodegib, a clinically used drug that inhibits Hedgehog signaling and is known to cause bone growth impairment in children. Taken together, humanin could potentially prevent bone growth impairment in children receiving treatment with GCs, vismodegib or other drugs that impair bone growth, thereby protecting growing individuals.

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