# Bone marrow lipid, adipokine, and inflammatory composition, and its relationship with skeletal acquisition in children with cerebral palsy

> **NIH NIH R03** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $78,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The population with cerebral palsy (CP) is expected to expand in the coming decades. This is a major public
issue because individuals with CP have an early and devastating onset of age-related chronic diseases, which
is associated with osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal diseases. In childhood, individuals with CP have a
weak and underdeveloped musculoskeletal system. The inadequate accretion of muscle and bone becomes
progressively worse throughout growth and leads to a heightened susceptibility of low-energy fracture among
this pediatric population. Therefore, it is imperative to identify mechanisms that suppress skeletal acquisition
throughout growth in children with CP in order to develop target-specific interventions to promote
musculoskeletal accretion and overall health. Recent and emerging evidence suggests that children with CP
have an excess accumulation of bone marrow fat, which is characterized by elevated total bone marrow fat
and/or higher bone marrow lipid saturated index- proportion of saturated fatty acids to total fatty acids. Both
elevated bone marrow fat and altered bone marrow lipid composition are associated with irregular adipokine
secretion, inflammation, poor skeletal metabolism, and increased fracture risk among non-CP populations. The
role of altered bone marrow lipid, adipokine, and inflammation on skeletal acquisition is unknown for skeletally
fragile pediatric populations, such as children with CP. The long-term goal of our research is to maximize
musculoskeletal accretion throughout growth and development, and preserve musculoskeletal mass and
function throughout the adult lifespan among individuals with CP. The specific goal of this project is to identify
the bone-fat crosstalk among children with CP by determining the biological role that altered bone marrow lipid,
adipokine, and inflammation has on skeletal acquisition. The specific aims of this project will be accomplished
by using bone marrow collected during routine posterior spinal fusion surgery from children with and without
CP, and ST2 cells, which is a murine marrow derived mesenchymal stem cell line with osteogenic and
adipogenic potential. Specific Aim 1 will identify the bone marrow saturated index and bone marrow adipokine
and inflammatory profiles in children with CP, as compared to age- and sex-matched children without CP. For
Specific Aim 2, we will continue to refine a new methodology that will allow us to test if alterations in bone
marrow fat, adipokine, and inflammatory profiles specific to CP impair skeletal acquisition by culturing ST2
cells with bone marrow secretome from children with and without CP. The goal of the proposed study is
aligned with multiple high-priority research areas from the Pediatric Growth and Nutrition Branch of NICHD:
“determinants of peak bone mass and peak bone strength” and “hormonal regulation of bone, muscle, and
adipose tissue”. Study findings will identify new insights of suppressed...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10071182
- **Project number:** 5R03HD100443-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel Whitney
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $78,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-12-16 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10071182

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10071182, Bone marrow lipid, adipokine, and inflammatory composition, and its relationship with skeletal acquisition in children with cerebral palsy (5R03HD100443-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10071182. Licensed CC0.

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