Chapters authored
Immunomodulatory Potential of Lactobacillus acidophilus: Implications in Bone Health
Lactobacillus acidophilus is homofermentative anaerobic rod-shaped gram-positive bacteria. L. acidophilous is one of the most common probiotics and is used for the treatment of various gastrointestinal, metabolic and inflammatory disorders. L. acidophilous produces antimicrobial compounds, maintains gut permeability and prevents dysbiosis. L. acidophilus also shows various other properties such as: it is anticarcinogenic, lowers serum cholesterol level and improves lactase metabolism of host. One of the most significant property of L. acidophilous is that it modulates the immune system and can prevent various inflammatory disorders. L. acidophilous influences several immune cells such as Th17 cells and Tregs. Various studies reported that inflammation induces bone loss and leads to several bone pathologies such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. Recent studies have shown the potential of probiotics in preventing inflammation mediated bone loss. L. acidophilous is one of these probiotics and is found capable in inhibition of various bone disorders. L. acidophilous restores the dysregulated immune homeostasis and prevents inflammatory bone loss. Thus, L. acidophilous can be a potential therapeutic for the management of various bone pathologies. In this book chapter we reviewed various immunomodulatory properties of L. acidophilous along with its efficacy in preventing dysbiosis and maintaining gut permeability. We also discussed the potential role of L. acidophilous as a therapeutic for the management of inflammation induced bone disorders.
Part of the book: Acidophiles
Targeting “Immunoporosis” as a Novel Concept of Immunotherapy in the Management and Treatment of Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a skeleton disease characterized by low bone mass, bone tissue deterioration, and alterations in bone microarchitecture. It is estimated that there are more than 500 million patients worldwide who suffer from osteoporosis-related fractures. There are several risk factors for osteoporosis. These comprise common risk factors like aging and steroid deficiency, as well as specific risk factors such as glucocorticoid use, decreased bone quality, and modifications in bone microarchitecture. However, the pivotal role of the immune system in osteoporosis was initially sidelined in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis but has gained much attention in recent years. Current discoveries have highlighted the existence of a vast network of communication between bone and the immune system in the maintenance of bone homeostasis. Moreover, it is observed that the majority of first-line therapies currently used to treat osteoporosis have immunomodulatory potential thereby preventing bone resorption by regulating the “Immunoporotic axis.” Therefore, these findings would potentially lead to a dramatic shift in the treatment modalities for the management of inflammatory bone loss observed in osteoporosis. To emphasize the crucial role of the immune system in the pathology of osteoporosis, our group coined the term “Immunoporosis” in 2018. In this chapter, we will comprehensively review the pivotal role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. Furthermore, we will discuss several novel immunomodulatory strategies that can be exploited for the management and prevention of osteoporosis.
Part of the book: Osteoporosis