title: Missense polymorphisms of the WNT16 gene are associated with bone mass, hip geometry and fractures.
abstract: Two missense polymorphisms of WNT16 were associated with hip bone mineral density (BMD), the buckling ratio of the femoral neck, calcaneal ultrasound and hip fractures in individuals under 80 years of age. These results confirm the association of the WNT16 gene with bone mass and osteoporotic fractures.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Osteoporosis has a strong genetic component. Wnt ligands stimulate the differentiation of osteoblast precursors and play a major role in skeletal homeostasis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the association of allelic variants of the WNT16 gene with BMD, other structural parameters of bone and osteoporotic hip fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six single nucleotide polymorphisms were analysed in 1,083 Caucasian individuals over 49 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two missense polymorphisms (rs2908004 and rs2707466) were associated with femoral neck BMD, with average differences across genotypes of 35 mg/cm(2) (p = 0.00037 and 0.0015, respectively). Likewise, the polymorphisms were associated with calcaneal quantitative ultrasound parameters (p = 0.00004 and 0.0014, respectively) and the buckling ratio, an index of cortical instability of the femoral neck (p = 0.0007 and 0.0029, respectively). Although there were no significant differences in the genotype frequency distributions between 294 patients with hip fractures and 670 controls, among the subgroup under 80 years of age, TT genotypes were underrepresented in patients with fractures (odds ratio 0.50; CI 0.27-0.94).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Common missense polymorphisms of the WNT16 gene are associated with BMD at the hip, calcaneal ultrasound and the buckling ratio of the femoral neck, as well as with hip fractures in individuals under 80 years of age. Overall, these results confirm the association of the WNT16 locus with BMD identified in genome-wide association studies and support its role in determining the risk of osteoporotic fractures.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital U.M.Valdecilla-IFIMAV, RETICEF, University of Cantabria, Av Valdecilla sn, 39008, Santander, Spain.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: García-Ibarbia
authors: M I
authors: MI
authors: Pérez-Núñez
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Olmos
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Valero
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Pérez-Aguilar
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Hernández
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Zarrabeitia
authors: J
authors: J
authors: González-Macías
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Riancho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000235:genetics; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000503:physiopathology; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000235:genetics*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000235:genetics*; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000235:genetics*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014463:Ultrasonography; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C417262:WNT16 protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins