Pharmacogenetic of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is the most common and serious skeletal disorder of the elderly, characterized by reduced bone mass and deterioration of bone micro-architecture with an increased risk of low-trauma fractures. Genetic factors are important predisposing elements influencing individual bone strength variability, and susceptibility to osteoporosis and related complications. Genetics of osteoporosis encompasses two main areas: disease susceptibility and pharmacogenetics of drug response. The former has been widely studied while the latter is still largely untouched. Pharmacogenetics is the study of relationship between genetic variations and inter-individual differences in drug response in terms of efficacy and adverse effects, representing an opportunity to identify new biomarkers for drug development and drug response. However, pharmacogenetic approaches to osteoporosis are still in their infancy, needing to be further developed and combined with functional studies. This review would provide an overview on current basic research applications in pharmacogenetics of osteoporosis and their implications for clinical practice.