Diabetes therapy could be more targeted and safer: new compound protects bones
Researchers from the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, IOCB Prague, and the National Institute for Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disease Research (CarDia), have made significant progress in the treatment of type 2 diabetes by developing a compound that offers protection against bone fragility, thus presenting a potentially safer alternative to current diabetes drugs. The findings have been published in the journal Metabolism.
The compound MSDC-0602K, a next-generation thiazolidinedione (TZD) antidiabetic drug, enhances the body’s sensitivity to insulin without the detrimental effects on bone health typically associated with older TZDs. Using advanced metabolomics and isotope labeling techniques, scientists have mapped metabolic changes in bone marrow cells and adipose tissue in detail. Additionally, they applied the principle of click chemistry, enabling the labeling and monitoring of biologically active substances within the body. Unlike older TZDs, this new compound activates alternative metabolic pathways in bone and adipose tissue. In bones specifically, it promotes the formation of new cells while suppressing the generation of fat cells in bone marrow.
"Our findings suggest that MSDC-0602K could enable more targeted treatment of type 2 diabetes with reduced adverse effects on the skeletal system," says the study’s lead author, Ondřej Kuda, from the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences. "This compound not only improves insulin sensitivity – enhancing how cells utilize insulin to regulate blood sugar levels – but also protects bones, which is crucial for patients with diabetes, who face an increased risk of fractures."
This multidisciplinary study provides important insights into the mechanisms of action of antidiabetic drugs and paves the way for the development of safer and more effective diabetes treatments.
Original article
- Brejchova, K.; Rahm, M.; Benova, A.; Domanska, V.; Reyes-Gutierez, P.; Dzubanova, M.; Trubacova, R.; Vondrackova, M.; Cajka, T.; Tencerova, M.; Vrabel, M.; Kuda, O. Uncovering mechanisms of thiazolidinediones on osteogenesis and adipogenesis using spatial fluxomics. Metabolism 2025, 166, 156157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2025.156157
