Osteoporosis Therapeutics 2020

Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, and Subchondral Insufficiency Fracture: Recent Insights

The increased incidence of osteoarthritis (OA), particularly knee and hip OA, and osteoporosis (OP), owing to population aging, have escalated the medical expense burden. Osteoarthritis is more prevalent in older women, and the involvement of subchondral bone fragility spotlights its association with OP. Notably, subchondral insufficiency fracture (SIF) may represent a more pronounced condition of OA pathophysiology. This review summarizes the relationship between OA and OP, incorporating recent insights into SIF. Progressive SIF leads to joint collapse and secondary OA and is associated with OP. Furthermore, the thinning and fragility of subchondral bone in early-stage OA suggest that SIF may be a subtype of OA (osteoporosis-related OA, OPOA) characterized by significant subchondral bone damage. The high bone mineral density observed in OA may be overestimated due to osteophytes and sclerosis and can potentially contribute to OPOA. The incidence of OPOA is expected to increase along with population aging. Therefore, prioritizing OP screening, early interventions for patients with early-stage OA, and fracture prevention measures such as rehabilitation, fracture liaison services, nutritional management, and medication guidance are essential.

Alterations in macrophage polarization in the craniofacial and extracranial skeleton after zoledronate application and surgical interventions - an in vivo experiment

Purpose

Medication-related osteonecrosis occurs exclusively in the jaw bones. However, the exact pathogenesis of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) and the unique predisposition of the jaw bones have not been elucidated, making its treatment a challenge. Recent evidence indicates that macrophages might play a pivotal role in MRONJ pathogenesis. The aim of the present study was to compare the macrophage populations between the craniofacial and extracranial skeleton and to investigate the changes induced by zoledronate (Zol) application and surgical interventions.

Materials and methods

An in vivo experiment was performed. 120 wistar rats were randomized to 4 groups (G1, G2, G3, G4). G1 served as an untreated control group. G2 and G4 received Zol injections for 8 weeks. Afterwards, the right lower molar of the animals from G3 and G4 was extracted and the right tibia osteotomized followed by osteosynthesis. Tissue samples were taken from the extraction socket and the tibia fracture at fixed time points. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to determine the labeling indexes of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages.

Results

Comparing the mandible and the tibia, we observed a significantly higher number of macrophages and a heightened pro-inflammatory environment in the mandible compared to the tibia. Tooth extraction caused an increase of the overall number of macrophages and a shift toward a more pro-inflammatory microenvironment in the mandible. Zol application amplified this effect.

Conclusion

Our results indicate fundamental immunological differences between the jaw bone and the tibia, which might be a reason for the unique predisposition for MRONJ in the jaw bones. The more pro-inflammatory environment after Zol application and tooth extraction might contribute to the pathogenesis of MRONJ. Targeting macrophages might represent an attractive strategy to prevent MRONJ and improve therapy. In addition, our results support the hypothesis of an anti-tumoral and anti-metastatic effect induced by BPs. However, further studies are needed to delineate the mechanisms and specify the contributions of the various macrophage phenotypes.

Are secondary effects of bisphosphonates on the vascular system of bone contributing to increased risk for atypical femoral fractures in osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis (OP) is a bone disease which affects a number of post-menopausal females and puts many at risk for fractures. A large number of patients are taking bisphosphonates (BPs) to treat their OP and a rare complication is the development of atypical femoral fractures (AFF). No real explanations for the mechanisms underlying the basis for development of where AFF develop while on BPs has emerged. The present hypothesis will discuss the possibility that part of the risk for an AFF is a secondary effect of BPs on a subset of vascular cells in a genetically at-risk population, leading to localized deregulation of the endothelial cell (EC)-bone cell-matrix units in nutrient channels/canals of the femur and increased risk for AFF. This concept of targeting ECs is consistent with location of AFF in the femur, the bilateral risk for occurrence of AFF, and the requirement for long term exposure to the drugs.

Use of Teriparatide in preventing delayed bone healing and nonunion: a multicentric study on a series of 20 patients

BACKGROUND

Delayed bone healing and nonunions represent a great challenge for the orthopedic surgeon. In addition to traditional surgical approaches, increasing attention is being given to the use of systemic anabolic therapy with Teriparatide, whose efficacy in preventing osteoporotic fractures is widely validated and whose application as a promoter of bone healing has been described but it is still debated. The aim of the study was to evaluate bone healing in a series of patients with delayed unions or nonunions treated with Teriparatide in conjunction with eventual appropriate surgical procedure.

METHODS

Twenty patients with an unconsolidated fracture that were treated at our Institutions from 2011 to 2020 with Teriparatide were retrospectively included into the study. The pharmacological anabolic support was used off-label with a planned duration of 6 months; radiographic healing was evaluated at 1-, 3- and 6-months follow-up outpatient visits over plain radiographs. Also, eventual side-effects were registered.

RESULTS

Radiographic signs indicative of favorable evolution of the bone callus were observed as early as at 1 month of therapy in 15% of cases; at 3 months, healing progression was appreciated in 80% of cases and complete healing in 10%; at 6 months, 85% of delayed and nonunions had healed. In all patients, the anabolic therapy was well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

In accordance to Literature, this study suggests that Teriparatide plays a potentially important role in the treatment of some forms of delayed unions or nou-nions, even in the presence of failure of hardware. The results suggest a greater effect of the drug when associated with a condition in which the bone is in an active phase of callogenesis, or with a "revitalizing" treatment which represents a local (mechanical and/or biological) stimulus to the healing process. Despite the small sample size and the variety of cases, the efficacy of Teriparatide in treating delayed unions or nonunions emerged, highlighting how this anabolic therapy can represent a useful pharmacological support in the treatment of such a pathology. Although the results obtained are encouraging, further studies, particularly prospective and randomized, are needed to confirm the efficacy of the drug, and define a specific treatment algorithm.

Dental implants osseointegration in patients with osteoporosis

The successful use of surgical and medical methods of jaw bone tissue restoration has been convincingly confirmed in clinical practice. At the same time, technologies are being developed to improve the osseointegration of dental implants in patients with osteoporosis. The use of various implant coatings, as well as systemic therapy, demonstrate the emergence of new directions in the treatment of patients with partial or complete secondary edentulism with concomitant osteoporosis. This trend is relevant in modern medicine . Information was obtained from the PubMed database, using the keywords «osteoporosis» and «osseointegration» and «dental implantation» and «zoledronic acid» from 2016 to 2022. Articles were selected based on experimental work. Numerous studies have shown that bone tissue is an effective indicator of osteoporotic changes. The main changes in bone tissue in osteoporosis are emphasized - a decrease in bone volume, deterioration of the microarchitecture of the trabecular bone and processes that prevent osseointegration - loss of bone mass, a significant decrease in the percentage of contact in the implant-bone complex. Methods of dealing with the negative impact on the operation of dental implantation have been identified. In a review of studies on the systemic administration of drugs based on bisphosphonates, an increase in the osseointegration of dental implants was revealed, the systemic administration of zoledronic acid preparations significantly increased the formation of new bone, which in turn contributed to the elimination of such a negative effect of osteoporosis as bone resorption. In addition to the systemic administration of bisphosphonates, experimental studies describe the topical application of bisphosphonates in the form of various implant coatings. Topical application of bisphosphonates also contributed to increased osseointegration. Microstructured coated implants showed less marginal bone loss compared to uncoated implants. Conclusion. The use of dental implants with modified macro- and microrelief, as well as systemic drug therapy, remains the main direction of scientific research that contributes to the optimization of osseointegration of dental implants.

Alendronato de sódio e vitamina D na osteoporose pós-menopausa

Objetivo: avaliar a eficácia da utilização da terapia combinada de alendronato de sódio e vitamina D no metabolismo ósseo de mulheres em tratamento de osteoporose pós-menopausa.Métodos: trata-se de uma revisão sistemática, a qual foram pesquisados ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECR) indexados nas bases de dados BVS, ISI Web of Science, PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect e Scopus que comparavam a associação de alendronato sódico e vitamina D com a monoterapia de alendronato de sódio. Resultados: um total de seis ECR contemplou os critérios para serem inclusos nesse estudo, compreendendo um total de 4164 participantes e seus respectivos dados. Os estudos avaliaram diferentes domínios do metabolismo ósseo, como níveis séricos de vitamina D, paratormônio, densidade mineral óssea e marcadores de turnover ósseo. A terapia combinada produziu melhora significativa nos marcadores metabólicos ósseos. Conclusão: a terapia combinada de alendronato de sódio com vitamina D promove melhora no metabolismo ósseo de mulheres com osteoporose pós-menopausa.

Drug discovery of sclerostin inhibitors

Sclerostin, a protein secreted from osteocytes, negatively regulates the WNT signaling pathway by binding to the LRP5/6 co-receptors and further inhibits bone formation and promotes bone resorption. Sclerostin contributes to musculoskeletal system-related diseases, making it a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of WNT-related bone diseases. Additionally, emerging evidence indicates that sclerostin contributes to the development of cancers, obesity, and diabetes, suggesting that it may be a promising therapeutic target for these diseases. Notably, cardiovascular diseases are related to the protective role of sclerostin. In this review, we summarize three distinct types of inhibitors targeting sclerostin, monoclonal antibodies, aptamers, and small-molecule inhibitors, from which monoclonal antibodies have been developed. As the first-in-class sclerostin inhibitor approved by the U.S. FDA, the monoclonal antibody romosozumab has demonstrated excellent effectiveness in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis; however, it conferred high cardiovascular risk in clinical trials. Furthermore, romosozumab could only be administered by injection, which may cause compliance issues for patients who prefer oral therapy. Considering these above safety and compliance concerns, we therefore present relevant discussion and offer perspectives on the development of next-generation sclerostin inhibitors by following several ways, such as concomitant medication, artificial intelligence-based strategy, druggable modification, and bispecific inhibitors strategy.

Histomorphometry of Bone Microarchitecture in Rats Treated with Vitamin D and Bisphosphonate in the Management of Osteoporosis

Objective  To verify how the combined administration of alendronate (ALN) and vitamin D3 (VD) acts on the bone microarchitecture in rats with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Methods  The experiment used 32 90-day-old female Wistar rats weighing between 300 and 400g. The induction of osteoporosis consisted of intramuscular administration of dexamethasone at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg of body weight once a week for 5 weeks, except for the animals in the control group. The animals were separated into the following groups: G1 (control group without osteoporosis), G2 (control group with osteoporosis without treatment), G3 (group with osteoporosis treated with ALN 0.2 mg/kg), G4 (group with osteoporosis treated with VD 10,000UI/500μL), and G5 (group with osteoporosis treated with ALN + VD). The right femurs of the rats were fixed in 10% buffered formaldehyde, decalcified, and processed for inclusion in paraffin. Histological sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin for histomorphometric analysis. Cortical thickness and medullary cavity were measured in cross-sections. Results  There was a statistical difference ( p  < 0.05) between groups G3 and G5 compared with the positive control group (G2), both related to the measurement of cortical thickness and to the total diameter of the bone. In the evaluation of the spinal area, only the G3 group has shown to be statistically different from the G2 group. Conclusion  Concomitant treatment with daily ALN and weekly VD is effective in preventing glucocorticoid-induced bone loss. However, there was no difference between the therapy tested and treatment with ALN alone.

Age-related alterations and senescence of mesenchymal stromal cells: Implications for regenerative treatments of bones and joints

The most common clinical manifestations of age-related musculoskeletal degeneration are osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, and these represent an enormous burden on modern society. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have pivotal roles in musculoskeletal tissue development. In adult organisms, MSCs retain their ability to regenerate tissues following bone fractures, articular cartilage injuries, and other traumatic injuries of connective tissue. However, their remarkable regenerative ability appears to be impaired through aging, and in particular in age-related diseases of bones and joints. Here, we review age-related alterations of MSCs in musculoskeletal tissues, and address the underlying mechanisms of aging and senescence of MSCs. Furthermore, we focus on the properties of MSCs in osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, and how their changes contribute to onset and progression of these disorders. Finally, we consider current treatments that exploit the enormous potential of MSCs for tissue regeneration, as well as for innovative cell-free extracellular-vesicle-based and anti-aging treatment approaches.

Parathyroid hormone and its related peptides in bone metabolism

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is an 84-amino-acid peptide hormone that is secreted by the parathyroid gland. It has different administration modes in bone tissue through which it promotes bone formation (intermittent administration) and bone resorption (continuous administration) and has great potential for application in sbone defect repair. PTH regulates bone metabolism by binding to PTH1R. PTH plays an osteogenic role by acting directly on mesenchymal stem cells, cells with an osteoblastic lineage, osteocytes, and T cells. It also participates as an osteoclast by indirectly acting on osteoclast precursor cells and osteoclasts and directly acting on T cells. In these cells, PTH activates the Wnt signaling, cAMP/PKA, cAMP/PKC, and RANKL/RANK/OPG pathways and other signaling pathways. Although PTH(1-34), also known as teriparatide, has been used clinically, it still has some disadvantages. Developing improved PTH-related peptides is a potential solution to teriparatide's shortcomings. The action mechanism of these PTH-related peptides is not exactly the same as that of PTH. Thus, the mechanisms of PTH and PTH-related peptides in bone metabolism were reviewed in this paper.

Bisphosphonate-Based Conjugates and Derivatives as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Osteoporosis, Bone Cancer and Metastatic Bone Cancer

Metastatic bone cancer occurs in every type of cancer but is prevalent in lung, breast, and prostate cancers. These metastases can cause extensive morbidity, including a range of skeletal-related events, often painful and linked with substantial hospital resource usage. The treatment used is a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. However, anticancer drugs are still limited due to severe side effects, drug resistance, poor blood supply, and non-specific drug uptake, necessitating high toxic doses. Bisphosphonates are the main class of drugs utilized to inhibit metastatic bone cancer. It is also used for the treatment of osteoporosis and other bone diseases. However, bisphosphonate also suffers from serious side effects. Thus, there is a serious need to develop bisphosphonate conjugates with promising therapeutic outcomes for treating metastatic bone cancer and osteoporosis. This review article focuses on the biological outcomes of designed bisphosphonate-based conjugates for the treatment of metastatic bone cancer and osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapies 2.0

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder, occurring as a result of an imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation, with bone breakdown exceeding bone building. Bone resorption inhibitors, e.g., bisphosphonates, have been designed to treat osteoporosis. Teriparatide, an anabolic agent, stimulates bone formation and corrects the characteristic changes in the trabecular microarchitecture. However, these drugs are associated with significant side effects. It is therefore crucial that we continue to research the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and seek novel modes of therapy. This editorial summarizes and discusses the themes of the ten articles published in our Special Issue “Osteoporosis: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapies 2.0”, a continuation of our 2019 Special Issue "Osteoporosis: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapies" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/osteoporosis_ijms). These Special Issues detail important global scientific findings that contribute to our current understanding of osteoporosis.