title: Vitamin D receptor genotype BB is associated with higher serum osteocalcin in first pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Serum osteocalcin was shown in a previous study on first trimester pregnant women to correlate with bone density and to distinguish between fast and slow bone losers. The objective of the present study is to examine whether serum osteocalcin is related to vitamin D receptor (VDR) BsmI polymorphism in pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined osteocalcin serum levels and VDR BsmI genotype in 97 healthy first trimester pregnant women consecutively recruited during six months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BB (21%), Bb (38%) and bb (41%) genotypes showed similar osteocalcin serum levels. However, in primigravidas (n=38) the BB genotype was significantly associated with higher mean osteocalcin level (9.67 ng/mL) than the Bb (8.07 ng/mL) and the bb genotype (8.14 ng/mL), respectively (P<0.05). The VDR genotype was the only independent parameter to correlate with serum osteocalcin (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only primigravidas show in the first trimester a relation between the bone formation parameter serum osteocalcin and the VDR genotype BB which indicates a higher risk of fractures. For further clinical applications serum osteocalcin and VDR genotype should be tested on a cohort of primigravidas including measurements of bone density.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Zurich University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feuz
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wisser
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heufelder
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Joba
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: von Mandach
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D020073:Gravidity; D006801:Humans; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D015675:Osteocalcin; C053864:endodeoxyribonuclease BsmI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific