title: Serum sclerostin levels in men with idiopathic osteoporosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sclerostin inhibits osteoblast differentiation and bone formation. If aberrant sclerostin action is involved in less efficient bone acquisition in men with idiopathic low bone mass, this might be reflected in higher serum sclerostin levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 116 men with idiopathic osteoporosis (≤65 years old), 40 of their sons and healthy controls, areal bone parameters were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and volumetric and geometric bone parameters were measured using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Serum analytes were measured using immunoassays and estradiol (E2) levels using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men with idiopathic low bone mass had lower levels of sclerostin than the controls (0.54±0.17 vs 0.66±0.23 ng/ml; P<0.001). In both groups, sclerostin levels were strongly associated with age; when adjusting for age, no associations with anthropometrics were observed (P>0.14). In multivariate analyses, sclerostin levels displayed a positive association with whole-body bone mineral content (BMC) and areal BMD (aBMD), as well as with trabecular and cortical volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) at the tibia in the probands. No clear associations were observed in the control group, neither were sclerostin levels associated with BMC at the radius or lumbar spine (all P>0.11). Testosterone, but not E2, was inversely related to sclerostin levels in the probands. No difference in sclerostin levels was found in their sons when compared with their controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower rather than higher serum sclerostin levels in the probands with idiopathic low bone mass suggest that aberrant sclerostin secretion is not involved in the pathogenesis of low bone mass in these subjects.
authors: Department of Endocrinology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. bruno.lapauw@ugent.be
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Lapauw
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Vandewalle
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Taes
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Goemaere
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Zmierczak
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Collette
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Kaufman
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D015415:Biomarkers; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C422903:SOST protein, human