The Journal of Practical Medicine >

2026 , Vol. 42 >Issue 2: 276 - 284

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.02.013

Feature Reports：Orthopedics

Research progress on immune cells and related cytokines mediated imbalance of bone homeostasis and its roles in bone-related diseases

  • Yang LIU ,
  • Changbo CHENG ,
  • Hongduo LU ,
  • Benlu CHEN ,
  • Zhiwen CHEN ,
  • Zhenqiu CHEN ,
  • Yinuo FAN
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  • 1.The first Clinical Medical College of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Guangzhou 510499，Guangdong，China
    2.Lingnan Medical Research Center of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine，Guangzhou 510388，Guangdong，China
    3.The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine，Guangzhou 510378，Guangdong，China
    4.State Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome，Guangzhou 510000，Guangdong，China
    5.Department of Femoral Head Necrosis，Bone Injury Center，First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine，Guangzhou 510405，Guangdong，China

Received date: 2025-09-22

  Revised date: 2025-11-19

  Accepted date: 2025-11-25

  Online published: 2026-01-22

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Abstract

The equilibrium of bone homeostasis is crucial for sustaining skeletal health， which depends on the precise regulation between bone formation mediated by osteoblasts and bone resorption mediated by osteoclasts. In recent years， with the progress of osteoimmunology research， more and more attention has been devoted to the role of immune cell?derived factors in bone homeostasis. A growing amount of evidence demonstrates that cytokines such as interleukins （ILs）， tumor necrosis factors （TNFs）， and interferons （IFNs） not only take part in immune responses but also directly or indirectly regulate bone remodeling by affecting osteoblast differentiation， osteoclastogenesis， and osteoclast activity. However， systematic summaries that address the relationship between immune cell-derived cytokines and bone homeostasis are still relatively scarce. This is especially true when it comes to the mechanisms of action， signaling pathways， and pathological roles of different cytokines in bone-related diseases such as osteoporosis， rheumatoid arthritis， and osteoarthritis. This review intends to comprehensively investigate the effects of immune cell-derived cytokines， including interleukins， tumor necrosis factors， and interferons， on bone homeostasis， with an emphasis on their regulatory mechanisms in osteoblast and osteoclast function. Moreover， it will incorporate the latest research progress to analyze the participation of these cytokines in the onset and progression of bone homeostasis-related diseases， thus offering a theoretical foundation and potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of bone metabolic disorders.

Key words： immune cells and related cytokines; bone homeostasis; osteoblasts; osteoclasts; osteoimmunology

Cite this article

Yang LIU , Changbo CHENG , Hongduo LU , Benlu CHEN , Zhiwen CHEN , Zhenqiu CHEN , Yinuo FAN . Research progress on immune cells and related cytokines mediated imbalance of bone homeostasis and its roles in bone-related diseases[J]. The Journal of Practical Medicine, 2026 , 42(2) : 276 -284 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2026.02.013

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