Bone Abstracts

Background: We have recently identified interleukin 1B (IL-1B) as a potential biomarker for predicting breast cancer patients at increased risk for developing bone metastasis. In mouse models, IL-1B and its receptor (IL-1R1) are upregulated in breast cancer cells that metastasise to bone compared with cells that do not. We have now investigated whether blocking IL-1R with the clinically licensed antagonist, anakinra, might be a potential treatment for breast cancer and bone me...

Background: We discovered that variants in NBAS (Neuroblastoma Amplified Sequence Gene) known to be associated with acute liver failure are also responsible for skeletal abnormalities. This work was published as a novel cause of bone fragility [Balasubramanian et al., 2017]. NBAS role in bone fragility provides an opportunity to use tractable animal research to advance understanding of mechanism and identify potential new treatments. This would be beneficial to patien...

Type V OI is characterised by interosseous membrane calcification and hyperplastic callus formation, but the infantile phenotype is less well recognised. In 2012 Arundel et al. described distinctive radiographic changes in an infant with type V OI. We report two further male infants (with genetic confirmation of type V OI) confirming the highly characteristic and consistent radiographic appearances that should aid early diagnosis.Case 1 – P...

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) presenting in childhood can have devastating implications for growth, puberty, menstruation and bone health. It may lead to altered bone structure and inadequate acquisition of bone mass with increased risk of fracture.Objective: To describe growth, pubertal and bone mineral density data in a cohort of adolescents with AN managed in a tertiary metabolic bone service.Methods: 62 adolescent females w...

Background: A 15 year old boy with antenatally diagnosed osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) was reviewed following concerns about poor linear growth, lack of pubertal development and persistent deciduous teeth. He had a history of crush fractures of L1–L2 and previous intra-medullary rodding of his right femur and had been on oral bisphosphonates (Risedronate 70 mg once weekly). He was significantly short (height SDS −4.9), substantially below his genetic potential (targe...

Background: Relationships between muscle function and bone have been examined using a range of techniques, with conflicting results. We aimed to determine these associations within an adult population comprising individuals with high bone mass and family controls.Methods: Recruitment was from four UK sites within the high bone mass (HBM) study; cases and unaffected family controls were pooled. Peak ground reaction force and peak power, during a multiple ...

Background: Proline and hydroxyproline account for ~25% of aminoacids in collagen., Prolidase (peptidase D (EC 3.4.14.9)), cleaves iminodipeptides with a C-terminal proline or hydroxyproline, playing a major role in collagen catabolism. Mice with prolidase deficiency (PD) present with varied phenotypes including reduced size compared to wild-type littermates. We measured structural and mechanical properties of bones in PD mice.Methods: Whole femurs from ...

Introduction: Bone health in patients with sickle cell disease and thalassemia is impaired. These patients feature altered parameters of bone metabolism and bone mineral density.Aim and design: To investigate bone health in patients with hemolytic anemia we conducted a cross-sectional analysis in our Hematology Outpatient Clinic at the Children’s Hospital Essen. The largest subgroups within our cohort are patients with homozygous sickle cell (HBSS) ...

Multiple myeloma is usually incurable, the bone marrow niche providing a protective microenvironment for quiescent tumour cells. We hypothesised that manipulation of BMP activity, a regulator of cell differentiation in the bone marrow, might affect control of tumour growth by its niche and in addition alter the lytic bone disease of myeloma. Moreover BMP signalling contributes to the hepcidin upregulation and resultant inflammatory anaemia that is characteristic of myeloma. Re...

Calcium supplements are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, but the mechanism by which this occurs is presently uncertain. In a secondary analysis of a trial examining the acute effects of calcium supplements, we found that blood pressure declined over 8 h in the control group, consistent with its diurnal rhythm, and that this decline was smaller in the calcium group [1]. To investigate these effects further, we carried out a randomised controlled cross-over trial o...