Molecular bases of osteoporosis in HIV: the role of the virus and antiretroviral therapy

In addition to immune system, HIV infection can determine the onset of functional dysfunctions of several organs and tissues such as central nervous system, cardiovascular system, kidney, and bone. It is noteworthy that HIV-infected individuals show an increased risk of bone mass loss with subsequent osteopenia and osteoporosis development. Interestingly, antiretroviral therapy is not able to tackle the bone derangement but, on the contrary, it can induce a progressive bone mass loss, especially when specific antiretroviral drugs are used. In this report, we summarized the HIV and antiretroviral-related mechanisms involved in the osteopenia and osteoporosis induction.