With increasing recognition of osteoporosis and related fractures in men, it is of interest to consider whether there is relationship between bone density and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms, as described in women.
Because of their specific ethnic distribution, VDR and ERalpha polymorphisms may be involved in reported human differences of osteoporosis treatment responses.
Recent studies have implicated variation in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene in susceptibility to several diseases, including osteoporosis and pulmonary tuberculosis.
Our results indicate, for the first time, an association between Graves' disease and a VDR polymorphism in the Japanese and suggest that a VDR-FokI polymorphism may affect bone mineral metabolism and can predict risk of osteoporosis as a complication of Graves' disease in patients in remission.
Polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene have been implicated in osteoporosis but explain only a small part of the genetic effect on bone mineral density (BMD) while their effect on fractures is still uncertain.
Vitamin D activity requires an adequate vitamin D status as indicated by the serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and appropriate expression of genes coding for vitamin D receptor and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 1α-hydroxylase, the enzyme which converts 25-hydroxyvitamin D to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency contributes to the aetiology of osteomalacia and osteoporosis.
A number of studies have reported correlations between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and several diseases including prostate cancer and osteoporosis.
Reports in the osteoporosis literature demonstrating the increased activity of specific alleles of the vitamin D receptor and epidemiological data linking vitamin D levels with prostate cancer have stimulated research into possible associations between vitamin D receptor genotype and the development of prostate cancer.
To determine whether a polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene, already associated with osteoporosis, might also relate to the risk of osteoarthritis (OA).
Results from this study suggest that the VDRp.Gly14Ala and p.His305Gln genetic variants are significantly associated with BMD decrease in Chinese postmenopausal women and might be used as molecular markers for assessing the risk of BMD and osteoporosis.
VDR alleles are significant independent predictors of peak femoral neck, but not lumbar spine BMD, even after adjusting for family history of osteoporosis, weight, age, and exercise.
The association between VDR BsmI polymorphism and osteoporosis was estimated by calculating pooled odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Our findings may partially explain the earlier inconsistent association results concerning the VDR gene and BMD, and highlight the importance of incorporating covariates such as BMI into osteoporosis association studies.
In an ethnically homogeneous population of women living in Tuscany, Italy, the relationships between age, body weight, bone mineral density and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphism were studied, with the objective of recognizing patients at risk for osteoporosis.
Polymorphisms of the VDR have major effects on vitamin D function and metabolism, and some VDR genotypes have been linked to osteoporosis and MS. Because the safety of high doses of vitamin D has not been established yet, vitamin D hasn't been used in enough doses to increase the serum level to a desired therapeutic target.
In conclusion, premenopausal bone mass, postmenopausal bone loss and the subsequent risk of osteoporosis and fractures were not predicted by vitamin D receptor genotype in a high-endemic area of osteoporosis.