Osteoporosis is a prevalent metabolic bone disease and constitutes heavy health and economic burdens on the globally fast-growing aging society. Characterized by the systemic reduction in bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, osteoporosis predisposes individuals over 50 to increase the risk of bone fractures, with an estimation of 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men from the aging population may experience an osteoporotic fracture in their remaining lifetimes. Since the worldwide incidence of osteoporotic fracture is expected to continue increasing in severity due to the surging of the aging population across the globe, advancing our understanding of determinants in the pathogenesis is vital towards developing ideal therapeutics targeting osteoporosis.
Coupled and balanced activities of osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) are required for physiological bone remodeling and calcium homeostasis, whereas age-related pathological conditions disturb the pace or process of these activities and thereby contribute to osteoporosis. Currently, anti-resorptive agents to reduce the remodeling rate, or anabolic agents to stimulate bone modeling are still underdeveloped and have sometimes been used in a combined strategy over monotherapy to attain greater yields in increasing bone mineral density (BMD). Therefore, the risks and benefits of each existing drug should be considered prior to prescription, and emerging pitfalls of novel medicine should be noted. Further challenges are to develop innovative therapies and deliver approaches based on disease mechanisms study and establish powerful anti-osteoporosis strategies depending on efficacy, frequency, tolerability, safety, adverse event, and route of administration.
This Research Topic aims to compile new studies on the molecular mechanisms of osteoporosis and related complications to strengthen the understanding of the signaling pathways leading to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and to provide new paths on therapeutic strategies. Advances in the development of new drugs targeting functional genes/proteins involved in osteoporosis pathogenesis are also welcomed.
We are interested in the submissions of original research, review, and meta-analysis that focus on the following sub-themes:
1. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of osteoporosis;
2. Novel biomarkers targeting osteoporosis;
3. New cellular and animal models to investigate disease progression;
4. Regulation of pathological bone remodeling;
5. Discoveries of genetic and epigenetic features related to osteoporosis;
6. Developments of novel anti-osteoporosis medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine and nanomedicine;
7. Nanomaterial-based delivery approaches targeting osteoporosis-participating cells;
8. Repositioning of the existing drug for osteoporosis treatment.
Osteoporosis is a prevalent metabolic bone disease and constitutes heavy health and economic burdens on the globally fast-growing aging society. Characterized by the systemic reduction in bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, osteoporosis predisposes individuals over 50 to increase the risk of bone fractures, with an estimation of 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men from the aging population may experience an osteoporotic fracture in their remaining lifetimes. Since the worldwide incidence of osteoporotic fracture is expected to continue increasing in severity due to the surging of the aging population across the globe, advancing our understanding of determinants in the pathogenesis is vital towards developing ideal therapeutics targeting osteoporosis.
Coupled and balanced activities of osteoclasts (OCs) and osteoblasts (OBs) are required for physiological bone remodeling and calcium homeostasis, whereas age-related pathological conditions disturb the pace or process of these activities and thereby contribute to osteoporosis. Currently, anti-resorptive agents to reduce the remodeling rate, or anabolic agents to stimulate bone modeling are still underdeveloped and have sometimes been used in a combined strategy over monotherapy to attain greater yields in increasing bone mineral density (BMD). Therefore, the risks and benefits of each existing drug should be considered prior to prescription, and emerging pitfalls of novel medicine should be noted. Further challenges are to develop innovative therapies and deliver approaches based on disease mechanisms study and establish powerful anti-osteoporosis strategies depending on efficacy, frequency, tolerability, safety, adverse event, and route of administration.
This Research Topic aims to compile new studies on the molecular mechanisms of osteoporosis and related complications to strengthen the understanding of the signaling pathways leading to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and to provide new paths on therapeutic strategies. Advances in the development of new drugs targeting functional genes/proteins involved in osteoporosis pathogenesis are also welcomed.
We are interested in the submissions of original research, review, and meta-analysis that focus on the following sub-themes:
1. Cellular and molecular mechanisms of osteoporosis;
2. Novel biomarkers targeting osteoporosis;
3. New cellular and animal models to investigate disease progression;
4. Regulation of pathological bone remodeling;
5. Discoveries of genetic and epigenetic features related to osteoporosis;
6. Developments of novel anti-osteoporosis medicine, including traditional Chinese medicine and nanomedicine;
7. Nanomaterial-based delivery approaches targeting osteoporosis-participating cells;
8. Repositioning of the existing drug for osteoporosis treatment.