title: Assessment of OPG/RANK/RANKL gene expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after treatment with strontium ranelate and ibandronate in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent research results have confirmed the high significance of the OPG/RANK/RANKL system in the development of bone diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the reported study was to assess gene expression levels of the OPG/RANK/RANKL system in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after strontium ranelate (SR) and ibandronate administered to patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 89 postmenopausal women, aged 51 to 85 years, patients of the Outpatient Clinic of Osteoporosis of the Military Teaching Hospital in Lodz, were enrolled into the study. The patients were randomly assigned to different medical therapies: ibandronate and SR. Patients of the control group received only calcium and vitamin D₃ supplements. Patient visits were repeated after 3 and 6 months. Measurements of serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations and of RNA expression in PBMCs as well as of total serum calcium and phosphate levels and of their 24-hour urine excretion rates were carried out in material, collected at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of the therapy. Densitometry of the left hip and of the lumbar spine was done at the baseline visit and after 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences in gene expressions of RANKL and RANK were not significant during the study period and did not differ between the groups in a statistically significant manner. No OPG gene expression was observed in PBMCs of patients in any of the studied groups and at any time point. The tendency of correlation (P = .07) was observed between decreasing RANK gene expression and increasing bone mineral density in the patients treated with SR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both ibandronate and SR do not seem to cause any significant changes in gene expression levels of OPG/RANK/RANKL in PBMCs during the first 6 months of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrine Disorders and Bone Metabolism, Medical University of Lodz, 90-752 Łódz, ul. Żeligowskiego 7/9, Poland. mstuss@wp.pl
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stuss
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rieske
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cegłowska
authors.forename: Wioletta
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Stêpień-Kłos
authors.forename: Paweł P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Liberski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brzeziańska
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sewerynek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004164:Diphosphonates; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D053245:RANK Ligand; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053246:Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B; C505686:TNFRSF11A protein, human; C506030:TNFRSF11B protein, human; C505688:TNFSF11 protein, human; D013876:Thiophenes; C081587:strontium ranelate; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D000077557:Ibandronic Acid