Will reducing adipogenesis in bone increase bone mass?:: PPARγ2 as a key target in the treatment of age-related bone loss

There are several mechanisms that explain the pathophysiology of senile osteoporosis. One of them is the increasing levels of adipogenesis in bone marrow that are seen during the aging process. It is known that mesenchymal stem cells expressing a ligand-activated transcription factor known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(2) (PPARgamma(2)) are committed to differentiate into adipocytes. The regulation of PPARgamma(2) activation may play a role in the control of adipogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and thus contribute to their differentiation into osteoblasts in order to form new bone. In this review we describe the characteristics of the orphan receptor family of PPARs, with emphasis on PPARgamma(2), its structural and functional characteristics and its potential as a therapeutic target for the treatment of senile osteoporosis. (C) 2003 Prous Science. All rights reserved.