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RECENT RESE ARCH PUBLISHED IN NATURE MEDICINE FOUND A CAUSAL LINK BE T WEEN SENESCENT CELLS AND OSTEOPOROSIS DE VELOPMENT. THIS FINDING ADDS TO A GROWING BODY OF RESE ARCH SUPPORTING THE USE OF SENOLY TIC AGENTS IN TRE ATING MULTIPLE DISE A SES OF AGING. New Approaches to SENE SCENT CELL S NO LONGER divide normally, but are largely resistant to cell death. These cells accumulate in aging tissues and release infl ammatory, potentially disease-causing cytokines, chemokines and proteases known collectively as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), according to an Aging Cell study. The Nature Medicine study is not the fi rst to point to correla- tions between age-related disease and senescent cells. Research published by James Kirkland, MD, PhD, Director of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging at Mayo Clinic, for example, found a causal link between senescent cells and osteoarthritis. A separate study, published in Nature and conducted by researchers from Mayo Clinic's Division of Cardiovascular Surgery and Departments of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Immunology, found that triggering senescent cell death in genetically engineered mice lessened typical age-related deterioration of several organs, including the kidneys and heart. A PUBLIC HEALTH BURDEN Osteoporosis decreases the strength and quality of bone, raising the risk of fracture. An estimated 10.2 million American adults age 50 and older have osteoporosis, and 43.4 million have low bone mass, according to a Journal of Bone & Mineral Research study. Conservative strategies for managing osteoporosis and low bone mass include a calcium- and vitamin D-rich diet and bone- building exercise. Two classes of medications — antiresorptive agents and anabolic drugs — are also available. While commercially available osteoporosis drugs are e" ec- tive, according to Andrew D. Bunta, MD, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Northwestern University, potential side e" ects include irritation of the gastrointestina l tract, osteonecrosis of the jaw and femur fractures. These side e" ects are usually rare and related to long-term use or comorbid condi- tions, and the risk of fracture outweighs the risk of side e" ects. Still, Dr. Bunta, who was not involved in the Nature Medicine study, agrees there is room in the market for newer, safer drugs because of the adverse e" ects associated with these options. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN OSTEOPOROSIS AND CELL SENESCENCE For the Nature Medicine study, resea rchers exposed 20- to 22-month-old mice to three agents. In the fi rst part of the study, researchers administered injections of AP20187 to INK-ATTAC Laying the Foundation for Osteoporosis BY TIFFANY PARNELL 1 0