title: Serum CX3CL1/fractalkine concentrations are positively associated with disease severity in postmenopausal osteoporotic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1), also called fractalkine (FKN), has recently been reported to be involved in osteoclastogenic process and pathological bone destruction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the link between serum CX3CL1/FKN levels with disease progression of postmenopausal osteoporotic patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 53 women with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP group), 51 postmenopausal non-osteoporotic female patients (PMNOP group) and 50 premenopausal non-osteoporotic healthy women of childbearing age (control group) were enrolled in the study. The bone mineral density (BMD) for all subjects was determined via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, internal trochanter, total hip, greater trochanter and Ward's triangle. The levels of FKN in the serum were examined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The serum bone resorption markers TRACP-5b, NTX levels, inflammation markers IL-1β and IL-6 as well as oestrogen-2(E2) were also detected in all participants. The visual analogue scores (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for low back pain were recorded in PMOP females for evaluation of osteoporotic pain and function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FKN levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal osteoporotic patients compared with postmenopausal non-osteoporotic females (139.8 ± 44.3 pg/mL VS 116.5 ± 23.1 pg/mL, p < 0.05) and healthy controls (139.8 ± 44.3 pg/mL VS 109.7 ± 19.4 pg/mL, p < 0.05). Serum FKN concentrations were negatively associated with BMD at femoral neck (r = -0.394, p = 0.004), total hip(r = -0.374, p = 0.006), internal trochanter(r = -0.340, p = 0.013), greater trochanter(r = -0.376, p = 0.006), Ward's triangle(r = -0.343, p = 0.012), L1-L4 lumbar spine(r = -0.339, p = 0.013) and positively associated with VAS (r = 0.321, p = 0.019) and ODI (r = 0.377, p = 0.005) scores, bone turnover makers (TRACP-5b:r = 0.341, p = 0.012; NTX:r = 0.364, p = 0.007)as well as inflammation markers (IL-1β: r = 0.396, p = 0.003; IL-6:r = 0.355, p = 0.009) in postmenopausal osteoporotic patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum FKN may serve as a novel biomarker for assessing disease progression and a new potential therapeutic target for anti-resorptive treatment in osteoporosis patients.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Yi-Ding
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Ci-You
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: b Department of Nursing , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Hai-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Wei-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Wei-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Yu-Lian
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: a Department of Endocrinology , Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Wuxi Second Hospital , Wuxi , China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D015519:Bone Density; D054428:Chemokine CX3CL1 / Q000097:blood*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C515538:CX3CL1 protein, human; D054428:Chemokine CX3CL1
keywords: Osteoporosis; disease severity; fractalkine