Bone Abstracts

Biogenesis and function of microRNAs can be influenced by genetic variants in the pri-miRNA sequences leading to phenotype variability. The aim of this study was to identify osteoporosis-related SNPs by affecting the expression levels of mature microRNAs.The first approach was to perform an association analysis of putative functional SNPs located in pri-miRNA sequences of bone-related microRNAs with the lumbar spine and femoral neck (FN) bone mineral den...

Destruction of the articular cartilage is the major feature of Osteoarthritis (OA). Ageing is the primary risk factor, but how ageing results in OA is still an enigma. In OA, articular chondrocytes degrade their own matrix, while in healthy articular cartilage they preserve it.Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) is a central regulator of chondrocyte proliferation, differentiation and extracellular matrix production. Deregulation of TGFβ si...

Context: Variations in sex hormones influence bone health in men. Aging in men is associated with a decrease in testosterone (T) levels.Aims: To examine the relationship between T levels and changes in bone health status as measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at the phalanges and the os calcis and by peripheral bone mineral density (pBMD) at the phalanges in healthy elderly Spanish men.Methods and material: We examined 162 me...

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Natural products have been regarded as important sources of potential chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we evaluated the antiproliferative activity of oleuropein, an olive oil compound traditionally found in the Mediterranean diet.Design and Methods: The antiproliferative activity on two human osteosarcoma cell lines (MG-63 and Saos2) was evaluated in vitro using the MTT c...

Sclerostin, encoded by the SOST gene, functions as an inhibitor of the Wnt pathway and thus it is an important regulator of bone homeostasis. The fact that osteoblasts, the only cells expressing SOST, lay buried deeply in the bone matrix, poses intrinsic difficulties to the study of the regulation of this gene. Since RUNX2 and SP7/OSX are two known regulators of the differentiation of cells of the osteoblastic lineage, the aim of this study was to determine t...

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression and are heritable through cell divisions even though they do not involve modifications in the gene sequence. They include methylation and other chemical modifications of cytosine nucleotides, histone posttranslational modifications, microRNAs and other non-coding RNAs. Most cytosines in the human genome are methylated, particularly in the inactive, tightly packed, heterochromatin of autosomes, and the inactivated X-chromosome in f...

Objectives: Bone development can be enhanced by exercise during growth, but not all types of exercise may be beneficial. Weight bearing and non-weight bearing sports have different effects on bone outcomes during adolescence. However, there is no longitudinal evidence comparing the effects of popular sports in the UK on bone acquisition in adolescent males.Methods: In the present study 116 adolescent males (13.1±0.1 years: 37 footballers, 37 swimmer...

Increased understanding of the biochemical pathways leading to MV-mediated initiation of skeletal, dental and vascular calcification has been attained through the extensive use of single and double knockout mouse models as well as via overexpression of genes by transgenesis. Our current integrated model of these pathways is compatible with the following sequence of events: MVs initiate mineral deposition by accumulation of Pi generated intravesicularly by the action...

Biographical DetailsJosé Luis MillánProfessor José Luis Millán received his early training in clinical chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his PhD in Physiological Chemistry at the University of Umeå, Sweden, in 1983. Professor Millán is currently based at the Children’s Hea...

Introduction: Paget’s bone disease (PBD) is the second most prevalent metabolic bone disease. Most patients present with pain or fracture but many remain asymptomatic. Evidence suggests a significant reduction both in its prevalence and clinical severity. Recent papers described differences in clinical course and therapeutic options in the last 10–15 years.Objective: To characterize PBD differences between patients having been diagnosed before ...