Dietary organosulfur compounds: Emerging players in the regulation of bone homeostasis by plant-derived molecules

Abstract

The progressive decline of bone mass and the deterioration of bone microarchitecture are hallmarks of the bone aging. The resulting increase in bone fragility is the leading cause of bone fractures, a major cause of disability. As the frontline pharmacological treatments for osteoporosis suffer from low patients' adherence and occasional side effects, the importance of diet regimens for the prevention of excessive bone fragility has been increasingly recognized. Indeed, certain diet components have been already associated to a reduced fracture risk. Organosulfur compounds are a broad class of molecules containing sulfur. Among them, several molecules of potential therapeutic interest are found in edible plants belonging to the Allium and Brassica botanical genera. Polysulfides derived from Alliaceae and isothiocyanates derived from Brassicaceae hold remarkable nutraceutical potential as antiinflammatory, antioxidants, vasorelaxant and hypolipemic. Some of these effects are linked to the ability to release the gasotrasmitter hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S). Recent preclinical studies have investigated the effect of organosulfur compounds in bone wasting and metabolic bone diseases, revealing a strong potential to preserve skeletal health by exerting cytoprotection and stimulating the bone forming activity by osteoblasts and attenuating bone resorption by osteoclasts. This review is intended for revising evidence from preclinical and epidemiological studies on the skeletal effects of organosulfur molecules of dietary origin, with emphasis on the direct regulation of bone cells by plantderived polysulfides, glucosinolates and isothiocyanates. Moreover, we highlight the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the biological role of these compounds and revise the importance of the so-called 'H 2 S-system' on the regulation of bone homeostasis.

MicroRNAs miR-584-5p and miR-425-3p Are Up-Regulated in Plasma of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Patients: Targeting with Inhibitor Peptide Nucleic Acids Is Associated with Induction of Apoptosis in Colon Cancer Cell Lines

“…Recently, the interest in the search for nutraceutical compounds able to exert therapeutic effects on cancer and other chronic diseases has rapidly increased. Among them, organosulfur compounds seem to be a promising class of compounds [76,77]. Here, we focused on SFN, an organosulfur compound derived from edible plants of the Brassica genera, which have been largely studied in the field of cancer due to their known pro-apoptotic effects on hepatocarcinoma [78], prostate cancer [79], and bladder cancer [80] cells.…”

Nutraceutical Benefits for Bone Health: Role in Osteoporosis Prevention

“…These compounds can stimulate osteoblast bone-forming activity AND reduce osteoclast bone resorption by releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gasotransmitter. To read in detail about the Alliaceae-and Brassicaceae-derived organosulfur compounds and their effects on bone loss in vitro and in vivo, please refer to the review by Gambari et al [153].…”

An Explorative Study into the Aetiology of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip Using Targeted Urine Metabolomics

“…The main source of sulphur is from dietary intake, either in the form of inorganic sulphate or plant/animal-based protein. There is a growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of naturally occurring sulphur-containing molecules (organosulphur compounds) on skeletal health [ 15 ].…”