Excessive bone resorption is a hallmark on the onset and development of bone diseases, including osteoporosis, periodontitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoclasts are bone‐resorbing multinucleated cells that differentiate from hematopoietic progenitors of the myeloid lineage. The regulation of this differentiation process is considered an effective therapeutic intervention to the treatment of pathological bone loss. Dietary fatty acids (FAs), transported in the form of postprandial triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins, have been linked with inflammation and oxidative stress associated to the overactivation of circulating leukocytes. Monocyte differentiation by soluble cytokines is known to up‐regulate osteoclast maturation via increased expression levels of receptor activator for nuclear factor‐κB ligand relative to osteoprotegerin. This review summarizes the effects of dietary omega‐3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and saturated fatty acids on plasticity during osteoclast formation and function.
Part of the book: Fatty Acids