Forum on Aging and Skeletal Health

描述(由申请人提供)：与年龄相关的骨丢失和骨质疏松症是巨大的、日益严重的公共健康问题。根据世界卫生组织的标准，大约有1000万50岁以上的美国人患有骨质疏松症，另有3300万人患有“骨量减少症”(类似于“糖尿病前期”)；到2020年，骨量不足的总人数可能达到6100万。鉴于这一问题的范围，从儿童到衰老，更好地了解决定骨量获得和丢失的因素是至关重要的。在机制层面上，近年来，我们对衰老的基本生物学的理解有了巨大的进步；然而，这些概念与骨骼衰老的相关性并不一定得到测试。因此，U13建议的目标是将老龄化研究中的当前概念与正在进行和计划中的关于与年龄相关的骨丢失和骨折的流行病学、机制和预防/治疗的研究结合起来。拟议的会议将有助于促进老龄化和骨骼研究界的交叉，并寻求推进骨骼衰老的临床和基础研究。因此，该研讨会的目标是：1)简要总结关于衰老和发育的后果以及遗传、环境和生活方式/行为因素在骨骼完整性和骨折风险改变中的作用的关键的最新基本和临床研究结果；2)确定知识差距和改进方法/技术/资源的需求，以促进对健康骨骼老化的研究；以及3)确定未来研究的机会，旨在促进骨骼健康和降低全寿命内骨折的风险。我们将在我们的6个具体目标的背景下解决这些目标，每个目标都与拟议的会议议程中的一个会议相关，该议程是与NIH工作人员和美国骨与矿物研究学会成员合作制定的：确定营养和体力活动对骨吸收和丢失的影响(目标1)；确定骨丢失和骨折的遗传和可改变的危险因素(目标2)；定义与年龄有关的骨结构和细胞活动的变化(目标3)；更好地了解细胞衰老的基本机制(目标4)；了解导致与年龄相关的骨丢失的生理信号(目标5)；并根据目标1-5的会议记录，确定该领域未来研究的框架，以及需要在基础和临床水平上解决的关键问题(目标6)。 公共卫生相关性：与年龄相关的骨丢失和骨质疏松症是巨大且日益严重的公共卫生问题。因此，U13建议的目标是将老龄化研究中的当前概念与正在进行和计划中的关于与年龄相关的骨丢失和骨折的流行病学、机制和预防/治疗的研究结合起来。拟议的会议将有助于促进老龄化和骨骼研究界的交叉，并寻求推进骨骼衰老的临床和基础研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Age-related bone loss and osteoporosis are tremendous, and growing, public health problems. Approximately 10 million Americans over the age of 50 years already have osteoporosis by World Health Organization criteria, while 33 million more have "osteopenia" (analogous to "prediabetes"); the total with low bone mass could reach 61 million by the year 2020. Given the scope of this problem, it is critical to obtain a better understanding of the factors determining the acquisition and loss of bone mass, from childhood to senescence. At a mechanistic level, there have been enormous advances in recent years in our understanding of the basic biology of aging; however, these concepts have not necessarily been tested for their relevance to skeletal aging. Thus, the goal of this U13 proposal is to bring together current concepts in aging research with ongoing and planned studies on the epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention/treatment of age-related bone loss and fractures. The proposed conference will help to cross-fertilize the aging and bone research communities and seek to advance clinical and basic research on skeletal aging. Thus, the objectives of this workshop are 1) To briefly summarize key state-of-the-science basic and clinical findings on the consequences of aging and development and the role of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle/behavioral factors on alterations in skeletal integrity and fracture risk; 2) To identify gaps in knowledge and needs for improved methodology/technology/resources to facilitate research on healthy skeletal aging; and 3) To identify opportunities for future research aimed at promoting skeletal health and reducing the risk of fractures across the lifespan. We will address these objectives within the context of our 6 Specific Aims, each associated with one of the sessions in the proposed conference agenda, which was developed in a partnership with NIH staff and members of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research: To define the influence of nutrition and physical activity on bone accretion and loss (Aim 1); to identify the genetic and modifiable risk factors for bone loss and fracture (Aim 2); to define age-related changes in bone structure and cellular activity (Aim 3); to better understand basic mechanisms of cellular aging (Aim 4); to understand the physiological signals contributing to age-related bone loss (Aim 5); and, based on the proceedings of Aims 1-5, to identify a framework for future research in this field and the key questions that need to be addressed, both at a basic and clinical level (Aim 6). PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Age-related bone loss and osteoporosis are tremendous, and growing, public health problems. Thus, the goal of this U13 proposal is to bring together current concepts in aging research with ongoing and planned studies on the epidemiology, mechanisms, and prevention/treatment of age-related bone loss and fractures. The proposed conference will help to cross-fertilize the aging and bone research communities and seek to advance clinical and basic research on skeletal aging.