Bone Abstracts

Alkaline phosphatase activity is critical for the mineralization of the bone matrix. Indeed, inactivating mutations of the ALPL gene, encoding the isoenzyme expressed in bone and liver, may result in the severe abnormalities of bone and other connective tissues that characterize hypophosphatasia. Nevertheless, the clinical spectrum of hypophosphatasia is rather broad and variable between a within families. Thus, along severe infantile forms, there are adult forms with mild man...

Genetic approaches to bone physiology utilising judicious gain and loss of function models have identified bone as an endocrine organ, being involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and reproduction. Recent advances expand our understanding and identify a new and unconventional role of bone beyond its classical functions. PHOSPHO1 is a bone specific phosphatase with a recognised role in bone mineralisation, but our present studies have now identified a novel role for PH...

There is a growing body of evidence indicating the important role of the neonatal steroid milieu in programming sexually dimorphic pattern in various physiological systems. We tested the hypothesis that abnormal exposure to steroid hormones within a critical developmental period elicits permanent changes on tooth eruption, enamel mineralization, and leptin and corticosterone concentrations in adulthood. Newborn Wistar rats were divided into four groups, two male groups and two...

Multiple myeloma is an incurable neoplastic disorder of plasma cells, which invade the bone marrow, secrete monoclonal immunoglobulins, and induce bone lesions, hypercalcemia, anemia and renal failure. The development of myeloma relies on vicious interactions with the bone microenvironment, a deeper knowledge of which is needed to identify prognostic markers and potential therapeutic targets. To achieve an unbiased, comprehensive assessment of the extracellular milieu of myelo...

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...

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Peripheral computed tomography (pQCT) can estimate volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and distinguish trabecular from cortical bone. Few comprehensive studies have examined correlates of vBMD in Spanish premenopausal women.The aim was to study the association between bone microarchitecture, muscle mass and strength in premenopausal Spanish women and to evaluate the role of calcium intake. vBMD was assessed in 164 premenopausal women at the distal rad...

Bone strength is influenced by cortical thickness, area, mass and porosity, all of which contribute to nonvertebral fracture risk. Cortical porosity is one parameter of structural decay associated with bone fragility. This is caused by unbalanced and accelerated remodelling of Haversian units which enlarge, coalesce and fragment the cortex. Antiresorptive therapies will limit progression of cortical porosity; reducing existing porosity would be a goal for those already at incr...