Bone Abstracts

The literature has suggested that bone mineral content is modulated by muscle mass and activity. We investigated the relationship between DXA assessed total body bone mineral content, total body lean mass, appendicular lean mass and obesity (a possible marker of inactivity) in a population of 73 boys between the age of 7 and 19 using a Norland XR-46 system.Regression analysis shows that in these growing boys there is a strong positive relationship betwee...

Introduction: Prostaglandin E2 has bone-anabolic effects through EP4 receptor but its clinical utility is hindered by gastrointestinal side effects. To avoid these side effects, EP4 agonists (EP4a) were covalently linked to the bisphosphonate alendronate (ALN) to create two ALN-EP4a conjugate drugs, C1 and C2. When administered systemically, C1 and C2 will be target delivered to bone through ALN, where local hydrolytic enzymes liberate EP4a from ALN to exert bone an...

Objective: To determine the relationship between maternal and child bone density in a cohort of mothers and their children with and without rickets.Methods: Using a case-control design without matching, areal forearm bone mineral density (aBMD) was measured in 52 and 135 Nigerian children with and without rickets, respectively, and their mothers. The metaphyseal site was located at the site of minimal bone density of the distal radius and ulna. The diaph...

Background: Although both testosterone and estrogens are considered essential for normal bone growth, epiphyseal maturation and bone mass accrual during adolescence, only very few data concerning the changes of estrogens, bone maturation, bone mineral density (BMD) and bone geometry in healthy boys at different pubertal stages have been published.Objectives: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between sex steroids and more especially estrogens a...

Caspases are the basic enzymatic components in the apoptotic process. Recently, these molecules seem to participate not only in apoptotic but also in other cellular events, particularly in differentiation. This work aimed to further investigate novel roles of executive caspases such as caspase-7. The investigation is based on our previously published findings showing non-apoptotic roles of caspase-7 in odontogenesis.In this study, we followed the localiz...

Caspase-7 belongs to executive apoptotic and pro-inflammatory caspases. Recent reports point to novel roles of these caspases, particularly in cell differentiation. As we revealed such function of caspase-7 in odontogenesis, we turned our attention to participation of this molecule in formation of hard tissue in general.In this work, both type of bones, intramembranous (mandibular/alveolar bone), and endochondral (long bones) were investigated. Mouse hea...

Objective: Nutritional rickets in Nigerian children is primarily due to dietary calcium deficiency and heals with calcium supplementation. Our aim was to determine the optimal dose of calcium for treatment of children with rickets due to dietary calcium deficiency.Methods: At the Jos University Teaching Hospital, 65 Nigerian children with radiographically-confirmed rickets were randomized to daily supplemental calcium intake of 500 mg (n=21), 10...

Objectives: Children who fracture have lower bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) than children who do not sustain fractures, but there is little data on bone microarchitecture in relation to childhood fracture. We assessed tibia microarchitecture using high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) in children with recent fracture and those without a history of fracture.Methods: Children ag...

Objectives: Nutritional rickets results from the interaction of poor vitamin D status and limited calcium intake. Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase is a marker of impaired mineralization in many forms of rickets. We assessed the reliability of serum alkaline phosphatase in identifying nutritional rickets in calcium-deprived Nigerian children.Methods: We reanalyzed data from a case-control study of Nigerian children with active rickets (cases) and age-,...

Objectives: Weight bearing physical activity (PA) is thought to be beneficial to bone mineral accrual in childhood, but the influence of PA and sedentary time on bone microarchitecture is less well described. We examined the relationships between self-reported PA and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and bone microarchitecture at the distal tibia, assessed using high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT).Methods: Healthy c...