title: Variation in the PTH2R gene is associated with age-related degenerative changes in the lumbar spine.
abstract: In the elderly, degenerative changes in the lumbar spine are common, contributing to falsely elevated bone mineral density (BMD) values. The parathyroid hormone (PTH) system plays an important role in the regulation of bone turnover and we explore the hypothesis that polymorphisms (SNPs) within genes in this pathway (PTH, PTHLH, PTH1R and PTH2R) contribute to degenerative manifestations of the spine in elderly women. The study included 1,004 Swedish women aged 75 years from the population-based OPRA cohort who attended follow-up at 5 and 10 years. Lumbar spine BMD was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and each individual vertebra was evaluated visually on the DXA image for apparent degenerative manifestations. Six SNPs in PTH and 3 SNPs each in PTH1R, PTH2R and PTHLH were analysed. Among women with degenerative manifestations at the lumbar spine, there was an over-representation at baseline of those carrying the PTH2R SNP rs897083 A-allele (p = 0.0021; odds ratio 1.5 95 % CI 1.2-2.0) and across the duration of follow-up (p = 0.0008). No association was observed between degenerative manifestations and variation in the other genes. None of the PTH hormone system genes were associated with vertebral fracture. Variation in the PTH2R gene (Chr2q34, rs897083) may contribute to the age-associated degenerative manifestations that develop at the lumbar spine.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Molecular Osteoporosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Sciences Malmö, Lund University, SE 205 02, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Åkesson
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tenne
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gerdhem
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luthman
authors.forename: Fiona E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: McGuigan
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000483:Alleles; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005838:Genotype; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000235:genetics; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D017698:Postmenopause; D044168:Receptor, Parathyroid Hormone, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics; D044183:Receptor, Parathyroid Hormone, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000235:genetics; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: C473449:PTH1R protein, human; C470121:PTHLH protein, human; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D044168:Receptor, Parathyroid Hormone, Type 1; D044183:Receptor, Parathyroid Hormone, Type 2