Osteoprotegerin Gene as a Biomarker in the Development of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women

• Published in: Biomedicines Vol. 11; no. 12; p. 3218
• Main Authors: Przerwa, Filip, Uzar, Izabela, Bogacz, Anna, Kotrych, Katarzyna, Sulikowski, Tadeusz, Wolek, Marlena, Kamiński, Adam, Ziętek, Paweł, Czerny, Bogusław
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Apoptosis; Bone density; Bone loss; Bone mineral density; Bone resorption; Bones; Conformity; Connective tissue; Cytokines; Development and progression; Drugs; Estrogen; Estrogens; Expected values; Fractures; gene OPG; Genes; Genetic analysis; Genetic markers; Genetic polymorphisms; Hormone replacement therapy; Life expectancy; Ligands; Medical research; Metabolism; Osteoblastogenesis; Osteoclastogenesis; Osteoclasts; Osteopenia; Osteoporosis; Osteoprotegerin; Physiological aspects; polymorphism; Population studies; Post-menopause; Postmenopausal women; Software; Statistical analysis; Variance analysis; Womens health; Young adults; Poland; Mexico; gene OPG; polymorphism; postmenopausal women; osteoporosis; osteoprotegerin
• ISSN: 2227-9059; 2227-9059
• DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11123218

Osteoporosis is a multifactorial and polygenic disease caused by an imbalance between osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis, leading to a decrease in bone mineral density and the occurrence of disorders in the microarchitecture and metabolism of bone tissue. In postmenopausal women, there is a significant decrease in the production of estrogens, which play a key role in maintaining proper bone mineral density. Estrogens have an inhibitory effect on the development and activity of osteoclasts by reducing the synthesis of pro-resorption cytokines and stimulating the expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG). Osteoprotegerin is a cytokine that prevents bone loss by inhibiting the process of osteoclastogenesis, reducing bone resorption. The aim of our study was to determine the influence of the rs3102735 (-163A>G), rs3134070 (-245T>G), rs207361 (-950T>C), rs7844539 (6890A>C), and rs2073618 (1181G>C) polymorphisms of the gene on the risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia in postmenopausal Polish women. The study included 802 unrelated women (osteoporosis: = 317, osteopenia: = 110, controls: = 375) at postmenopausal age (54.7 ± 8.6 years). Genetic analysis was performed using real-time PCR. BMD values as well as clinical and bone parameters with the tested polymorphisms were analyzed among the study population. Analysis of the rs1801282 variants did not show any association with the risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia. However, for the rs207361 polymorphism, we observed a statistically significant association with the risk of osteoporosis, suggesting that the rs207361 variant may be one of the genetic markers associated with the pathogenesis of osteoporosis.