Therapeutic Targeting of Gut-Bone Signaling to Treat Osteoporosis

Abstract

The microbiome plays an integral role in regulating human and animal health. Nearly all organs respond to changes in the microbiome, including the skeleton. Both microbiome dysregulation (bacterial dysbiosis as seen with inflammatory bowel disease) and deficiency (as seen in germ-free mice) have been shown to critically affect bone. Ingestion of probiotic bacteria modulates the microbiome, and an increasing number of studies indicate that several probiotic strains can prevent osteoporosis. The benefits are seen under conditions of estrogen deficiency (i.e., menopause) as well under disease conditions, including type 1 diabetes (T1D). This chapter provides an overview of studies demonstrating a role for gut-targeted probiotics as a therapeutic for maintaining bone health.