Influences of menopause, aging, and gender on the cleavage of type II collagen in cartilage in relationship to bone turnover.
OBJECTIVE
It is unclear whether there are changes in cartilage turnover after menopause, although these are well documented in bone. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that menopause might change cartilage turnover as well as bone turnover. We also examined age and gender to estimate the independent influences of these parameters together with menopause on cartilage and bone turnover.


METHODS
Serum samples were collected from 140 healthy volunteers, 69 men (mean age +/- SD, 42.8 +/- 13.8 y) and 71 women (44.4 +/- 10.5 y) with self-reported pre- or postmenopausal status who had no swelling or pain in their spine and joints. Body mass index was also recorded. The serum concentration of a biomarker of cartilage type II collagen (C2C) degradation and concentrations of serum bone alkaline phosphatase and urine cross-linked type I collagen N-telopeptide, both accepted biomarkers of bone turnover, were measured together. Analyses of covariance were performed to test the mean differences of biomarkers by gender and by menopause status with age adjustment.


RESULTS
In men there were no significant correlations between age and the biomarkers. In women C2C concentration decreased with age. Cross-linked type I collagen N-telopeptide and bone alkaline phosphatase levels were both increased after menopause, whereas C2C showed no detectable changes. C2C was not significantly related to body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that there are fundamental differences in the degradation of uncalcified C2C and bone type I collagen degradation and bone assembly in response to menopause and aging.
Kojima
Toshihisa
T
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nagoya University, School of Medicine, Showa, Nagoya, Japan. toshik@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp
Kojima
Masayo
M
Noda
Kazuya
K
Ishiguro
Naoki
N
Poole
A Robin
AR
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density; D016723:Bone Remodeling; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000378:metabolism*; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood*; D024043:Collagen Type II / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values
D015415:Biomarkers; D024042:Collagen Type I; D024043:Collagen Type II; D010455:Peptides; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase