MicroRNAs and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is one of the most common bone disorders, characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of the bone tissue, and seriously affects the health and quality of life of elderly individuals and postmenopausal women. Small microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as epigenetic regulators of gene expression which abnormal expression is closely related to the process of occurrence and progression of bone-related diseases, especially osteoporosis. Nowadays, it is widely accepted that miRNAs exert crucial roles in the regulation of osteoporosis by modulating osteoblast and osteoclast function and targeting multiple signaling pathways. However, the concrete pathogenesis of miRNAs on osteoporosis has not been fully elucidated yet. This chapter aims to provide an updated overview of recent advances in the roles of miRNAs on osteoporosis, focusing on the interaction between miRNAs and specific molecules in the process of osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis as well as cascade reaction implicated in bone-related signaling pathways.