Air Pollution and Osteoporosis

The purpose of this review is to provide a background of osteoporosis and air pollution, discussing increasing incidence of the disease with exposure to pollutants and the role that inflammation may play in this process.

Osteoporosis-related fractures are one of the most pressing challenges for the ageing global population, with significant increases in mortality known to occur after major osteoporotic fractures in the elderly population. Recent studies have established a firm correlative link between areas of high air pollution and increased risk of osteoporosis, particularly alarming given the increasingly urban global population. While the culprit pollutants and molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not yet been elucidated, initial studies suggest a role for inflammatory cascades in this phenomenon.

While much more research is required to identify the most damaging air pollutants and to delineate the specific inflammatory molecular mechanisms, it is clear from the literature that shedding light on these pathways would unveil potential therapeutic targets to treat bone diseases, including osteoporosis. Major deficiencies of current animal models highlight the need for complex human in vitro models such as organ-on-a-chip technology to better understand the impact of air pollution.