Interest: Effects of Binge Alcohol
Exposure on Skeletal Biology
My research is focused on the biochemical,
biomechanical and molecular effects of alcohol
on bone. Previous studies using a binge model
of alcohol consumption have identified that
up regulation of bone resorptive activity occurs
after acute binge alcohol exposure, which is
at least partially responsible for bone loss
occurring after binge alcohol treatment. Alcohol-induced
bone loss can be effectively blocked with anti-resorptive
drugs, suggesting a possible therapeutic response
to alcoholic osteopenia. We have also shown
that binge alcohol exposure has an additive
effect on bone loss caused by other insults
to the skeleton such as estrogen depletion.
My current research effort is focused on identifying
biomarkers of early alcohol-mediated bone damage
in adolescent, adult and ovariecotomized rats
using gene expression array technology. Gene
expression profiles of alcohol-induced bone
damage will help in the identification of novel
mechanisms behind bone damage caused by alcohol.
Early markers of bone loss can be used to identify
patients at risk for osteoporosis years prior
to conventional diagnostics. Anti-resorptive
drugs may modulate the expression of genes perturbed
by alcohol-exposure; identification of biomarkers
that demonstrate this effect will be useful
in monitoring the efficacy of bone-sparing drugs,
and for development of novel therapeutics for
osteoporosis.
