Bone Abstracts

Vertebral fractures (VF) defined by morphometric analysis of spine radiographs are the most common complication of osteoporosis. Those that come to medical attention, with symptoms such as back pain and kyphosis are termed clinical vertebral fractures (CVF) and account for significant morbidity and mortality. Although much progress was made in identifying loci for bone mineral density, the genetic determinants of CVF remain unclear. Here we present the initial results from a g...

Osteoclast-poor autosomal recessive osteopetrosis is characterised by susceptibility to fracture despite high bone mineral density as a consequence of an absence of osteoclasts. One of the 12 receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) mutations associated with this condition is a frameshift mutation encoding a protein that is truncated within the extracellular, N-terminal domain (R110Pfs). We investigated the effect of this mutation on osteoclast formation, receptor localisation ...

Introduction: Niemann–Pick disease (NPD) is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal lipid storage disorder. It is caused by mutations of genes which products are involved in the metabolism of sphingolipids. Their dysfunction causes sphingomyelin to accumulate in different organs which leads to progressive multisystemic disorder. Types A and B NPD are caused by mutations in sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase-1 gene with deficiency of acid sphingomyelinase (ASM). Types C and D NP...

Biographical DetailsCraig B LangmanProfessor Craig B Langman, is the Isaac A Abt, MD, Professor of Kidney Diseases at the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Head of Kidney Diseases at the Ann and Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. His research focuses on the basic and clinical expression of inherited or acquired d...

Paget’s disease of Bone (PDB) is caused by mutations in the gene encoding Sequestosome-1 (Q17STM1 or p62) that affect the C-terminal Ubiquitin-Associated (UBA) domain. A second isoform of Q17STM1 exists (referred to hereafter as 55kDa-Q17STM1), which lacks the N-terminal Phox and Bem1 (PB1) domain and has previously been reported to be ~45x more abundant than Q17STM1/p62 in osteoclasts. Mutations in the UBA domain will also occur in this isoform. Several of the UBA mutati...

Early-onset Paget’s disease of bone (ePDB), familial expansile osteolysis (FEO) and expansile skeletal hyperphosphatasia (ESH) are related syndromes caused by heterozygous tandem insertion duplication mutations within the signal peptide region of TNFRSF11a (encoding receptor activator of NFκB; RANK). Given that patients are always heterozygous for these mutations we have generated thirteen cell lines to investigate the molecular consequences of these mutations in...

Recessive osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is caused by mutations in genes encoding proteins involved in post-translational interactions with type I collagen. A founder mutation in a new gene responsible for recessive OI has recently been reported in Bedouins from Israel and Saudi Arabia, who have a homozygous deletion of TMEM38B exon 4 and surrounding intronic sequence. TMEM38B encodes TRIC-B, an integral ER membrane monovalent cation channel involved in Ca...

Bone density (BMD) loss is a consequence of aromatase inhibitors (AI) treatment of breast cancer. B-ABLE cohort includes 391 postmenopausal women with early breast cancer starting AI therapy. Participants experienced a 1.98% (95% CI 1.54–2.42% P<0.0001) bone loss at lumbar spine (LS) and 1.24% (95% CI 0.81–1.67% P<0.0001) bone loss at femoral neck (FN) after 1 year on AI therapy and a 3.51% (95% CI 3.00–4.03% P<0.0001) bone...

Familial expansile osteolysis (FEO) is characterised by focal areas of increased bone turnover driven by bone-resorbing osteoclasts. The syndrome is caused by a heterozygous tandem insertion duplication mutation within the signal peptide region of TNFRSF11a (encoding receptor activator of NFκB; RANK). Our recent research has demonstrated that heterotrimeric receptor formation may hold the key to the disease phenotype. We have shown previously that, whilst homozygous overe...

Osteocytes may function as mechanotransducers by regulating local osteoclastogenesis. Reduced availability of oxygen, i.e. hypoxia could occur during disuse, bone development and fracture. Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) is an osteoblast/stromal cell derived essential factor for osteoclastogenesis. Hypoxia induced osteoclastogenesis via increased RANKL expression in osteoblasts was demonstrated. Hypoxic regulation of gene expression general...