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A differentiation switch of bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs) from osteoblasts to adipocytes contributes to age‐ and menopause‐associated bone loss and marrow adiposity. Here it is found that osteocytes, the most abundant bone cells, promote adipogenesis and inhibit osteogenesis of BMSCs by secreting neuropeptide Y (NPY), whose expression increases with aging and osteoporosis. Deletion of NPY in osteocytes generates a high bone mass phenotype, and attenuates aging‐ and ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced bone‐fat imbalance in mice. Osteocyte NPY production is under the control of autonomic nervous system (ANS) and osteocyte NPY deletion blocks the ANS‐induced regulation of BMSC fate and bone‐fat balance. γ‐Oryzanol, a clinically used ANS regulator, significantly increases bone formation and reverses aging‐ and OVX‐induced osteocyte NPY overproduction and marrow adiposity in control mice, but not in mice lacking osteocyte NPY. The study suggests a new mode of neuronal control of bone metabolism through the ANS‐induced regulation of osteocyte NPY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The changes in body composition and biomarker levels that occur during the aging process are complex and remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to evaluate changes in serum C-peptide levels and fat mass-tolean mass ratio (FM/LM ratio) with increasing age, and to explore the associations between serum C-peptide levels and FM/LM ratio. Methods: This was a population-based cross-sectional study that included 3912 participants aged 30-85 years. Body composition was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Analysis of covariance was used to evaluate how the serum C-peptide level and FM/LM ratio change with increasing age, as well as how the FM/LM ratio changes in line with increasing serum C-peptide level. A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to determine the association between serum C-peptide level and FM/LM ratio. Results: Analysis of covariance showed that serum C-peptide levels, and most regional FM/LM ratios tended to increase in line with increasing age. Total fat mass, total lean mass, percentage total fat mass and total FM/LM ratio were significantly elevated, and percentage total lean mass decreased significantly with increasing serum C-peptide levels in both men and women. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that serum C-peptide level was strongly associated with the total FM/LM ratio. Conclusions: The findings showed that both serum C-peptide level and FM/LM ratio increased with increasing age, and the serum C-peptide level was closely associated with changes in the total FM/LM ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]