title: Role of milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 in osteoimmunology.
abstract: Milk fat globule-epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) is a glycoprotein that is abundantly expressed in various tissues and has a pivotal role in the phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells. However, MFG-E8 has also gained significant attention because of its wide range of functions in autoimmunity, inflammation and tissue homeostasis. More recently, MFG-E8 has been identified as a critical regulator of bone homeostasis, being expressed in both, osteoblasts and osteoclasts. In addition, it was shown that MFG-E8 fulfils an active role in modulating inflammatory processes, suggesting an anti-inflammatory role of MFG-E8 and proposing it as a novel therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases. This concise review focusses on the expression and regulation of MFG-E8 in the context of inflammatory bone diseases, highlights its role in the pathophysiology of osteoimmune diseases and discusses the therapeutic potential of MFG-E8.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors: Kathrin
authors: K
authors: Sinningen
authors: Department of Medicine III, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Diseases, Technische Universität Dresden , Dresden, Germany.
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Thiele
authors: Department of Medicine III, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Diseases, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors: Lorenz C
authors: LC
authors: Hofbauer
authors: Department of Medicine III, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Diseases, Technische Universität Dresden , Dresden, Germany.
authors: Martina
authors: M
authors: Rauner