Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) was cloned over 2 decades ago and its identification in part led to the discovery of a super family of tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) and their receptors. TNFα signals through two transmembrane receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2, and regulates a number of critical cell functions including cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, and apoptosis. Macrophages are the major producers of TNFα and interestingly are also highly responsive to TNFα. Aberrant TNFα production and TNF receptor signaling have been associated with the pathogenesis of several diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, atherosclerosis, psoriasis, sepsis, diabetes, and obesity. TNFα has been shown to play a pivotal role in orchestrating the cytokine cascade in many inflammatory diseases and because of this role as a "master-regulator" of inflammatory cytokine production, it has been proposed as a therapeutic target for a number of diseases. Indeed anti-TNFα drugs are now licensed for treating certain inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. In this review we discuss the discovery of TNFα and its actions especially in regulating macrophage biology. Given its importance in several human diseases, we also briefly discuss the role of anti-TNFα therapeutics in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent immune‐modulating drugs with significant side effects, including glucocorticoid‐induced osteoporosis (GIO). GCs directly induce osteoblast and osteocyte apoptosis but also alter intestinal microbiota composition. While the gut microbiota is known to contribute to the regulation of bone density, its role in GIO has never been examined. To test this, male C57/Bl6J mice were treated 8‐weeks with GC (prednisolone, GC‐Tx) in the presence or absence of broad‐spectrum antibiotic treatment (ABX) to deplete the microbiota. Long‐term ABX prevented GC‐Tx‐induced trabecular bone loss, demonstrating the requirement of gut microbiota for GIO. Treatment of GC‐Tx mice with a probiotic (Lactobacillus reuteri, LR) prevented trabecular bone loss. Microbiota analyses indicated that GC‐Tx changed the abundance of Verrucomicobiales and Bacteriodales phylums and random forest analyses indicated significant differences in abundance of Porphyromonadaceae and Clostridiales OTUs between groups. Furthermore, transplantation of GC‐Tx mouse fecal material into recipient naïve, untreated WT mice caused bone loss, supporting a functional role for microbiota in GIO. We also report that GC caused intestinal barrier breaks, as evidence by increased serum endotoxin level (2.4‐fold), that were prevented by LR and ABX treatments. Enhancement of barrier function with a mucus supplement prevented both GC‐Tx‐induced barrier leakage and trabecular GIO. In bone, treatment with ABX, LR or a mucus supplement reduced GC‐Tx‐induced osteoblast and osteocyte apoptosis. GC‐Tx suppression of Wnt10b in bone was restored by the LR and MDY treatments as well as microbiota depletion. Finally, we identified that bone‐specific Wnt10b overexpression prevented GIO. Taken together, our data highlight the previously unappreciated involvement of the gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function in trabecular GIO pathogenesis (including Wnt10b suppression and osteoblast and osteocyte apoptosis) and identify the gut as a novel therapeutic target for preventing GIO.

Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue with increased risk of fracture, can be categorized into two forms: primary and secondary, depending on whether it occurs as part of the natural aging process (estrogen deficiency) or as part of disease pathology. In both forms bone loss is due to an imbalance in the bone remodeling process, with resorption/formation skewed more toward bone loss. Recent studies and emerging evidence consistently demonstrate the potential of the intestinal microbiota to modulate bone health. This review discusses the process of bone remodeling and the pathology of osteoporosis and introduces the intestinal microbiota and its potential to influence bone health. In particular, we highlight recent murine studies that examine how probiotic supplementation can both increase bone density in healthy individuals and protect against primary (estrogen deficiency) as well as secondary osteoporosis. Potential mechanisms are described to account for how probiotic treatments could be exerting their beneficial effect on bone health.