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The Chemofux Award Symposium 1988, Vienna (Austria)
351
Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism
The Chemofux Award Symposium 1988, Vienna (Austria)
In early 1988, Chemofux, an Austrian pharmaceutical company which in recent years had specialized in designing a calcium- and fluoride-containing drug for treatment of osteoporosis, announced a prize of AS ICKIOoo (approx LJS$7500) for an outstaoding research paper in the field of bone and mineral metabolism. According to Dr Riidiger Wolf, General Manager of Chemofux, the intent of the Chemofux Prize is to promote research by honoring the efforts acl achievements of individual scientists or of entire research groups working on one of such topics as Systemic and Local Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Homeostasis, Molecular Biology of
Celbdar Calciumand Phosphate Transport, Regulationof BoneMetabolismand Remodeling or Pathophysiologyof Cakium and Phosphate Metabolism. An International Jury to judge submissions was organized. The members, J.-P. Bonjour (Geneva), F. Bronner (Farmington), E. Carafoli (Ziirich), D.V. Cohn (Louisvi/fe), A. Kleemann (Frankfurt), F. Lembeck (Graz), P. Meunier (Lyon), C.H. van OS (Nijmegen), L.G. Raisz (Farmingioit), E. Ritz (Heidelberg), P.H. Stem (Chicago), J. Suko (I&nna), R.H. Wasserman (Ilhaca), R. Ziegler (Heid& berg) and which was headed by M. Peterlik (Vienna) awarded the Chemofux Prize for 1988 to Dr T.J. Martin (Melbourne) for his paper on ‘A parathyroid hormonerelated protein implicated in malignant hypercalcemia: cloning and expression’ (LJ Suva et al., Science 1987; 237:893-896). The award ceremony took place in the magnificent and historical P&is Pallavicini. The ceremony was preceded by a symposium on ‘Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism’. For this event the prize winner joined the jurors in presenting recent results of their scientific work and discussing new concepts and developments in the field. In the Opening Lecture ‘The human parathyroid hormone-related peptide’, T.J. Martin presented a fascinating account of his laboratory’s success in characterization, cloning and expression of the PTH-relatedpeptide. As a consequence of our knowledge of the peptide’s structure, methods for early diagnosis of certain tumors are likely to be designed in the near future. In addition, generation of specific antibodies to the PTH-related peptide could provide an effective treatment of tumorassociated hypercalcemia. Another consequence of the prizewinner’s work is that a physiological role as a regulatory factor in fetal calcium and phosphate homeostasis may be assigned to the newly discovered peptide. In the session dealing with the role of peptide hormones in calcium and phosphate metabolism, J.-P. Bonjour gave an account of the biological actions of the tumoral PTH-related peptide focussing on its ability to modulate renal calcium and phosphate transport. F. Raue presented an elaborate study aimed at characterization of the renal calcitonin receptor. New and intriguing aspects of endocrine regulation could be derived from D.V. Cohn’s description of possible physiological roles of Secretory Protein-l (chromogranin A), a protein that is not only a major aecreiory product of the parathyroid gland hut appears to be constitutively expressed in all endocrine cells. A number of speakers discussed established and new concepts of vitamin D action: R.H. Wasserman reviewed the role of vitamin D in intestinal calcium and magnesium absorption, and also directed the attention of the audience to the identification of neuronal and cardiac tissue as possible targets for physiological vitamin D action. F. Bronner presented a new model of renal calcium transport, that convincingly implicated the vitamin D-dependent cytosolic calcium-binding protein as a necessary constituent of the rate-limiting intracellular calcium transfer process. This view was also supported by C.H. van OS who discussed data from his laboratory showing that vitamin D activates transcellular calcium transport, not through modulation of calcium transporting mechanisms of intracellular organelles, but rather through an effect on brush-border entry or cytosolic diffusion of calcium. M.
353 Peterlik presented evidence that a series of genomic actions of vitamin D in the small intestine is modulated by thyroid hormone, and speculated on the engagement of the steroid and the thyroid hormone in a regulatory loop controlling calcium and phosphate metabolism. E. Carafoli described his laboratory’s elegant work leading to molecular cloning of the ubiquitous plasma membrane Ca*+-ATPase and, consequently, to identitication of the functional domains of the molecule. In the session devoted to control of bone turnover in health and disease, L.G. Raisz presented new insights into the complicated mle of endogenous pmstaglandins in formation and resorption of bone. P.H. Stern summarized the evidence for calcium as a second messeenger in the action of some bone-resorbing agents, particularly of the thmmbin type. P. Meunier presented results from recent clinical trials which indicate the effectiveness of combined calcium and fluoride treatment in the therapy of osteoporosis. H. Reichel summarized the immunoregulatory role of vitamin D. which mainly encompasses modulation of the release from lymphocytes and macrophages of cytokines that also can act as local control factors of bone remodelling. The proceedings of the symposium ‘Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism’ are being edited by F. Bmnner and M. Peterlik and will be published by Alan R. Liss Inc., New York, by the end of this year.
;\leinrad Peterlik Deparhnenr ofGeneralandExperimental Parhology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism
The Chemofux Award Symposium 1988, Vienna (Austria)
In early 1988, Chemofux, an Austrian pharmaceutical company which in recent years had specialized in designing a calcium- and fluoride-containing drug for treatment of osteoporosis, announced a prize of AS ICKIOoo (approx LJS$7500) for an outstaoding research paper in the field of bone and mineral metabolism. According to Dr Riidiger Wolf, General Manager of Chemofux, the intent of the Chemofux Prize is to promote research by honoring the efforts acl achievements of individual scientists or of entire research groups working on one of such topics as Systemic and Local Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Homeostasis, Molecular Biology of
Celbdar Calciumand Phosphate Transport, Regulationof BoneMetabolismand Remodeling or Pathophysiologyof Cakium and Phosphate Metabolism. An International Jury to judge submissions was organized. The members, J.-P. Bonjour (Geneva), F. Bronner (Farmington), E. Carafoli (Ziirich), D.V. Cohn (Louisvi/fe), A. Kleemann (Frankfurt), F. Lembeck (Graz), P. Meunier (Lyon), C.H. van OS (Nijmegen), L.G. Raisz (Farmingioit), E. Ritz (Heidelberg), P.H. Stem (Chicago), J. Suko (I&nna), R.H. Wasserman (Ilhaca), R. Ziegler (Heid& berg) and which was headed by M. Peterlik (Vienna) awarded the Chemofux Prize for 1988 to Dr T.J. Martin (Melbourne) for his paper on ‘A parathyroid hormonerelated protein implicated in malignant hypercalcemia: cloning and expression’ (LJ Suva et al., Science 1987; 237:893-896). The award ceremony took place in the magnificent and historical P&is Pallavicini. The ceremony was preceded by a symposium on ‘Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism’. For this event the prize winner joined the jurors in presenting recent results of their scientific work and discussing new concepts and developments in the field. In the Opening Lecture ‘The human parathyroid hormone-related peptide’, T.J. Martin presented a fascinating account of his laboratory’s success in characterization, cloning and expression of the PTH-relatedpeptide. As a consequence of our knowledge of the peptide’s structure, methods for early diagnosis of certain tumors are likely to be designed in the near future. In addition, generation of specific antibodies to the PTH-related peptide could provide an effective treatment of tumorassociated hypercalcemia. Another consequence of the prizewinner’s work is that a physiological role as a regulatory factor in fetal calcium and phosphate homeostasis may be assigned to the newly discovered peptide. In the session dealing with the role of peptide hormones in calcium and phosphate metabolism, J.-P. Bonjour gave an account of the biological actions of the tumoral PTH-related peptide focussing on its ability to modulate renal calcium and phosphate transport. F. Raue presented an elaborate study aimed at characterization of the renal calcitonin receptor. New and intriguing aspects of endocrine regulation could be derived from D.V. Cohn’s description of possible physiological roles of Secretory Protein-l (chromogranin A), a protein that is not only a major aecreiory product of the parathyroid gland hut appears to be constitutively expressed in all endocrine cells. A number of speakers discussed established and new concepts of vitamin D action: R.H. Wasserman reviewed the role of vitamin D in intestinal calcium and magnesium absorption, and also directed the attention of the audience to the identification of neuronal and cardiac tissue as possible targets for physiological vitamin D action. F. Bronner presented a new model of renal calcium transport, that convincingly implicated the vitamin D-dependent cytosolic calcium-binding protein as a necessary constituent of the rate-limiting intracellular calcium transfer process. This view was also supported by C.H. van OS who discussed data from his laboratory showing that vitamin D activates transcellular calcium transport, not through modulation of calcium transporting mechanisms of intracellular organelles, but rather through an effect on brush-border entry or cytosolic diffusion of calcium. M.
353 Peterlik presented evidence that a series of genomic actions of vitamin D in the small intestine is modulated by thyroid hormone, and speculated on the engagement of the steroid and the thyroid hormone in a regulatory loop controlling calcium and phosphate metabolism. E. Carafoli described his laboratory’s elegant work leading to molecular cloning of the ubiquitous plasma membrane Ca*+-ATPase and, consequently, to identitication of the functional domains of the molecule. In the session devoted to control of bone turnover in health and disease, L.G. Raisz presented new insights into the complicated mle of endogenous pmstaglandins in formation and resorption of bone. P.H. Stern summarized the evidence for calcium as a second messeenger in the action of some bone-resorbing agents, particularly of the thmmbin type. P. Meunier presented results from recent clinical trials which indicate the effectiveness of combined calcium and fluoride treatment in the therapy of osteoporosis. H. Reichel summarized the immunoregulatory role of vitamin D. which mainly encompasses modulation of the release from lymphocytes and macrophages of cytokines that also can act as local control factors of bone remodelling. The proceedings of the symposium ‘Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Calcium and Phosphate Metabolism’ are being edited by F. Bmnner and M. Peterlik and will be published by Alan R. Liss Inc., New York, by the end of this year.
;\leinrad Peterlik Deparhnenr ofGeneralandExperimental Parhology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria