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Additive genetic effects may influence circulating periostin, contribute to bone fragility
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Shared genetic factors may influence serum periostin and sclerostin levels, contributing to the heritability of bone microstructure, according to research in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
The retrospective analysis suggests that like areal bone mineral density, bone microstructure can determine fracture risk and is also highly heritable.
Nicolas Bonnet, PhD, of the division of bone diseases, department of internal medicine specialties, Geneva University Hospitals & Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland, and colleagues analyzed data from 84 participants in the Geneva retiree cohort and 96 of their offspring, before extending the investigation to 432 randomly chosen participants in the same cohort (322 women). Researchers measured serum sclerostin (sSOST) and periostin (sPOSTN), distal radius and tibia microstructure, hip and lumber spine areal BMD and bone turnover markers. Heritability was calculated as twice the slope of the regression between parents and offspring.
Serum periostin levels were higher in men vs. women in offspring (1078.9 ± 26.6 vs. 916.1 ± 25.4 ng/ml; P < .001) and in parents (546.8 ± 37.6 vs. 355.6 ± 22.4 ng/ml; P < .001) and 2.5 times higher in offspring vs. parents. Adjustment for sex did not affect the sPOSTN difference between parents and offspring, according to researchers.
Levels of sPOSTN were not associated with areal BMD or bone turnover markers, reflecting findings in past studies.
“In contrast, the heritability of trabecular and cortical [volumetric BMD] at distal radius and tibia was reduced by adjustment for sPOSTN, and additional effects of sPOSTN were observed on the [heritability] for [cortical perimeter] and [cortical porosity], arguing that part of the heritability for microstructure is carried by genes that regulate sPOSTN,” the researchers wrote.
Heritability values for bone microstructure range from 48% to 62% for the trabecular compartment and from 22% to 60% for the cortex. Heritability values for sPOSTN and sSOST were 50% and 40%, respectively, but decreased and became nonexistent once adjusted for sex, suggesting that additive gene effect is sex dependent, according to researchers.
Future studies are needed to examine genetic variations associated with SPOSTN and microstructure in large populations, according to researchers.
“Future identification of these genetic markers may provide further insights into the inherited mechanisms of bone fragility,” the researchers wrote.” —by Regina Schaffer
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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