title: [Role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis].
abstract: The immune system plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Estrogen deficiency induces mild increase in production of proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, systemically and locally, which promotes osteoclastogenesis in the bone marrow. The most important cytokine in the context of estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss has been shown to be TNF-alpha produced by bone marrow T-lymphocytes that are stimulated through a complex mechanism involving antigen-presenting cells and various cytokines including IL-7, IFN-gamma, and TGF-beta. Proinflammatory cytokines also suppress osteoblastogenesis, while the crosstalk between T-lymphocytes and marrow stromal cells regulates the osteoclastogenic activity of the latter. Counteracting these interactions could be a novel strategy for osteoporosis treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terauchi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause / Q000502:physiology; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004967:Estrogens