Senescence-associated intrinsic mechanisms of osteoblast dysfunctions

Abstract

Human aging is associated with bone loss leading to bone fragility and increased risk of fractures. The cellular and molecular causes of age-related bone loss are current intensive topic of investigation with the aim of identifying new approaches to abolish its negative effects on the skeleton. Age-related osteoblast dysfunction is the main cause of age-related bone loss in both men and women beyond the fifth decade and results from two groups of pathogenic mechanisms: extrinsic mechanisms that are mediated by age-related changes in bone microenvironment including changes in levels of hormones and growth factors, and intrinsic mechanisms caused by the osteoblast cellular senescence. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of the intrinsic senescence mechanisms affecting osteoblastic functions and how they can be targeted to abolish age-related osteoblastic dysfunction and bone loss associated with aging.