[Parathyroid hormone and Wnt signaling].

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is clinically used as therapeutic agent for osteoporosis in Japan. However, the mechanisms for bone anabolic action of PTH are not fully understood. Recently, numerous studies suggest that PTH enhances bone formation through the suppression of sclerostin, DKK1 and sFRP1, inhibitors of Wnt-β-catenin signal. Moreover, we identified Tmem119 as new osteoblast differentiation factor, which is involved in an increase inβ-catenin level by PTH in osteoblasts. Further understanding of Wnt-β-catenin signaling in the bone anabolic action by PTH may lead to the development of novel bone anabolic agent.