Adipocytic sclerostin loop3-LRP4 interaction required by sclerostin to impair whole-body lipid and glucose metabolism

H Hewen Jiang X Xiaohui Tao S Sifan Yu Y Yihao Zhang Y Yuan Ma (Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology) N Nanxi Li S Shenghang Wang N Ning Zhang X Xin Yang S Shijian Ding C Chuanxin Zhong H Haitian Li Z Zhanghao Li X Xiaoxin Wen H Huarui Zhang Z Zefeng Chen (Department of Physics, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Institute of Computational Physical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University) M Meiheng Sun H Hang Luo (College of Materials Science and Engineering) M Meishen Ren C Chongguang Lei Y Yuanyuan Yu J Jin Liu Z Zongkang Zhang A Aiping Lyu H Hui Sheng D Dijie Li L Luyao Wang G Ge Zhang B Bao-Ting Zhang

Abstract

Abstract Sclerostin, which has three loops, inhibits bone formation and impairs whole-body lipid and glucose metabolism. The marketed therapeutic sclerostin antibody for postmenopausal osteoporosis (POP) mainly targeting loop2 promotes bone formation and improves whole-body lipid and glucose metabolism. However, FDA/EMA warns of its cardiovascular risk. We previously demonstrate that sclerostin loop3 contributes to the inhibitory effect of sclerostin on bone formation but not its cardioprotective effect. Here we find elevated serum sclerostin levels in both POP-T2DM patients and newly-diagnosed T2DM patients and further demonstrate that sclerostin loop3 participates in the impairment effect of sclerostin on whole-body lipid and glucose metabolism in vivo. Mechanistically, specific blockade of adipocytic sclerostin loop3-LRP4 interaction attenuates the impairment effect of sclerostin on lipid and glucose metabolism in vitro and in vivo. This study provides an innovative strategy, blocking adipocytic sclerostin loop3-LRP4 interaction, to normalize lipid and glucose metabolism in POP-T2DM patients, in cardiovascular safety.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 17, Issue 1
Published January 16, 2026
ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher Nature Portfolio

Journal Info

Nature Communications

Nature Portfolio

ISSN: 2041-1723 Open Access Life Sciences

Authors (29)

H

Hewen Jiang

X

Xiaohui Tao

S

Sifan Yu

Y

Yihao Zhang

Y

Yuan Ma

Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Materials Genome Engineering, Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology

N

Nanxi Li

S

Shenghang Wang

N

Ning Zhang

X

Xin Yang

S

Shijian Ding

C

Chuanxin Zhong

H

Haitian Li

Z

Zhanghao Li

X

Xiaoxin Wen

H

Huarui Zhang

Z

Zefeng Chen

Department of Physics, Key Laboratory of Computational Physical Sciences (Ministry of Education), Institute of Computational Physical Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics, Fudan University

M

Meiheng Sun

H

Hang Luo

College of Materials Science and Engineering

M

Meishen Ren

C

Chongguang Lei

Y

Yuanyuan Yu

J

Jin Liu

Z

Zongkang Zhang

A

Aiping Lyu

H

Hui Sheng

D

Dijie Li

L

Luyao Wang

G

Ge Zhang

B

Bao-Ting Zhang