Levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the Charcot foot: a pilot study.
The pathogenesis of Charcot neuroarthropathy is unclear. To investigate the possibility that decreased levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide and endothelial nitric oxide synthase are involved in the process, we studied bone samples from healthy subjects (n = 4), subjects with diabetic neuropathy (n = 4), and subjects with Charcot neuroarthropathy (n = 4). A statistically significant difference was found in endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression between bone specimens in patients with diabetic neuropathy, Charcot neuroarthropathy, and normal bone (P = .008). A trend toward calcitonin gene-related peptide intensification was observed in normal bone as compared to diabetic neuropathy and Charcot neuroarthropathy bone specimens, but it did not reached statistical significance (P = .23). This pilot study suggests that abnormal calcitonin gene-related peptide and endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity may play a role in the development of Charcot neuroarthropathy.


METHODS
4.
La Fontaine
Javier
J
Podiatry Division, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. lafontaine@uthscsa.edu
Harkless
Lawrence B
LB
Sylvia
Victor L
VL
Carnes
David
D
Heim-Hall
Josefine
J
Jude
Edward
E
D001177:Arthropathy, Neurogenic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005529:Foot Bones / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism*; D010865:Pilot Projects
D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide