Cause Of Bone Fragility Research Articles

Gnathodiaphyseal dysplasia: Diagnostic clues from two fetal cases and literature review.

This article presents two fetal cases of gnathodiaphyseal dysplasia (GDD), a rare autosomal dominant disorder, and reviews the relevant literature. The cases involved two fetuses exhibiting bone bowing, which led to the diagnosis of GDD. Genetic testing revealed two de novo variants of the ANO5 gene, confirming the diagnosis. A literature review was conducted to explore GDD's clinical and paraclinical presentation, diagnosis, and management. GDD is a rare but frequently inherited cause of bone fragility and jaw lesions characterized by a gain-of-function variant within the ANO5 gene. Clinical manifestations range from recurrent dental infections with mild jaw lesions to severe bone fragility with several fractures associated with large jaw lesions requiring disfiguring surgeries. Diagnostic techniques depend on the context and include targeted genetic testing of ANO5, untargeted molecular analysis with whole-exome sequencing, or whole-genome sequencing. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing GDD as a novel cause of bone bowing and fractures during pregnancy. By summarizing the literature, this article contributes to healthcare professionals' knowledge and improves the recognition, diagnosis, and care of patients with GDD.

Ziyin Bushen Fang improves Diabetic Osteoporosis by Inhibiting Autophagy and Oxidative Stress In vitro and In vivo.

Diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) belongs to the group of diabetes-induced secondary osteoporosis and is the main cause of bone fragility and fractures in many patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine whether Ziyin Bushen Fang (ZYBSF) can improve DOP by inhibiting autophagy and oxidative stress. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was induced in rats using a high-fat high-sugar diet combined with streptozotocin. Micro-CT scanning was used to quantitatively observe changes in the bone microstructure in each group. Changes in the serum metabolites of DOP rats were analyzed using UHPLC-QTOF-MS. The DOP mouse embryonic osteoblast precursor cell model (MC3T3-E1) was induced using high glucose levels. After ZYBSF treatment, bone microstructure significantly improved. The bone mineral density, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness in the ZYBSF-M and ZYBSF-H groups significantly increased. After ZYBSF treatment, the femur structure of the rats was relatively intact, collagen fibers were significantly increased, and osteoporosis was significantly improved. A total of 1239 metabolites were upregulated and 1527 were downregulated in the serum of T1DM and ZYBSF-treated rats. A total of 20 metabolic pathways were identified. In cellular experiments, ZYBSF reduced ROS levels and inhibited the protein expression of LC3II / I, Beclin-1, and p-ERK. ZYBSF may improve DOP by inhibiting the ROS/ERK-induced autophagy signaling pathway.

Ultrasound-Based Techniques in Diabetic Bone Disease: State of the Art and Future Perspectives.

Bone fragility is increasingly recognized as an important complication of diabetes mellitus (DM), and both type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 (T2DM) diabetes are associated with a higher risk of fracture. The causes of bone fragility in diabetic patients are not yet fully understood; probably they are linked to low bone mineral density (BMD), poor bone quality due to the alterations in bone remodelling, microarchitecture and composition of the bone matrix. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a validated, low-cost and free ionizing radiation alternative to DXA measurement of BMD for the assessment of fracture risk. The results obtained by using QUS in T1DM and T2DM have been summarized and reported in this review. QUS technique presents some benefits but also some limits. These limits could be overcome by radiofrequency echographic multispectrometry (REMS) that is a non-ionizing technology recently introduced for the assessment of bone status that can also calculate parameters related to bone quality and strength. Therefore, REMS may represent a promising approach to evaluate bone status and fragility fracture risk in DM subjects.

Congenital Metabolic Bone Disorders as a Cause of Bone Fragility.

Bone fragility is a pathological condition caused by altered homeostasis of the mineralized bone mass with deterioration of the microarchitecture of the bone tissue, which results in a reduction of bone strength and an increased risk of fracture, even in the absence of high-impact trauma. The most common cause of bone fragility is primary osteoporosis in the elderly. However, bone fragility can manifest at any age, within the context of a wide spectrum of congenital rare bone metabolic diseases in which the inherited genetic defect alters correct bone modeling and remodeling at different points and aspects of bone synthesis and/or bone resorption, leading to defective bone tissue highly prone to long bone bowing, stress fractures and pseudofractures, and/or fragility fractures. To date, over 100 different Mendelian-inherited metabolic bone disorders have been identified and included in the OMIM database, associated with germinal heterozygote, compound heterozygote, or homozygote mutations, affecting over 80 different genes involved in the regulation of bone and mineral metabolism. This manuscript reviews clinical bone phenotypes, and the associated bone fragility in rare congenital metabolic bone disorders, following a disease taxonomic classification based on deranged bone metabolic activity.

Bilateral atypical femoral fractures during denosumab therapy in a patient with adult-onset hypophosphatasia.

SummaryHypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare and under-recognised genetic defect in bone mineralisation. Patients presenting with fragility fractures may be mistakenly diagnosed as having osteoporosis and prescribed antiresorptive therapy, a treatment which may increase fracture risk. Adult-onset HPPhypophosphatasia was identified in a 40-year-old woman who presented with bilateral atypical femoral fractures after 4 years of denosumab therapy. A low serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and increased serum vitamin B6 level signalled the diagnosis, which was later confirmed by identification of two recessive mutations of the ALPL gene. The patient was treated with teriparatide given the unavailability of ALP enzyme-replacement therapy (asfotase alfa). Fracture healing occurred, but impaired mobility persisted. HPP predisposes to atypical femoral fracture (AFF) during antiresorptive therapy; hence, bisphosphonates and denosumab are contraindicated in this condition. Screening patients with fracture or ‘osteoporosis’ to identify a low ALP level is recommended.Learning pointsHypophosphatasia (HPP) is a rare and under-recognised cause of bone fragility produced by impaired matrix mineralisation that can be misdiagnosed as a fragility fracture due to age-related bone loss.Antiresorptive therapy is contraindicated in HPP.Low serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) provides a clue to the diagnosis.Elevated serum vitamin B6 (an ALP substrate) is indicative of HPP, while identification of a mutation in the ALPL gene is confirmatory.Enzyme therapy with recombinant ALP (asfotase alfa) is currently prohibitively costly.Treatment with anabolic bone agents such as teriparatide has been reported, but whether normally mineralized bone is formed requires further study.

Coumarin Ameliorates Impaired Bone Turnover by Inhibiting the Formation of Advanced Glycation End Products in Diabetic Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts.

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that the risk of osteoporotic fractures increases in patients with diabetes mellitus. Thus, diabetes-induced bone fragility has recently been recognized as a diabetic complication. As the fracture risk is independent of the reduction in bone mineral density, deterioration in bone quality may be the main cause of bone fragility. Coumarin exists naturally in many plants as phenylpropanoids and is present in tonka beans in significantly high concentrations. This study investigated whether coumarin ameliorated the impaired bone turnover and remodeling under diabetic condition. The in vitro study employed murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cells differentiated to multinucleated osteoclasts with receptor activator of nuclear factor-κΒ ligand (RANKL) in the presence of 33 mM glucose and 1–20 μM coumarin for five days. In addition, osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were exposed to 33 mM glucose for up to 21 days in the presence of 1–20 μM coumarin. High glucose diminished tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and bone resorption in RANKL-differentiated osteoclasts, accompanying a reduction of cathepsin K induction and actin ring formation. In contrast, coumarin reversed the defective osteoclastogenesis in diabetic osteoclasts. Furthermore, high glucose diminished alkaline phosphatase activity and collagen type 1 induction of osteoblasts, which was strongly enhanced by submicromolar levels of coumarin to diabetic cells. Furthermore, coumarin restored the induction of RANK and osteoprotegerin in osteoclasts and osteoblasts under glucotoxic condition, indicating a tight coupling of osteoclastogenesis and osteoblastogenesis. Coumarin ameliorated the impaired bone turnover and remodeling in diabetic osteoblasts and osteoclasts by suppressing the interaction between advanced glycation end product (AGE) and its receptor (RAGE). Therefore, coumarin may restore optimal bone turnover of osteoclasts and osteoblasts by disrupting the hyperglycemia-mediated AGE–RAGE interaction.

Coumarin Boosts Optimal Bone Remodeling Through Blocking AGE-RAGE Interaction in Diabetic Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts

Abstract Objectives Accumulating evidence has shown that the risk of osteoporotic fractures is increased in patients with diabetes mellitus despite normal or high bone mineral density. Thus, diabetes-induced bone fragility has been recently recognized as a diabetic complication. Because the fracture risk is independent of the reduction in bone mineral density, deterioration of the bone quality may be the main cause of bone fragility. Coumarin is naturally found in many plants as phenylpropanoids and present in tonka beans at notably high concentrations. The purpose of this study was to identify that hyperglycemia-mediated advanced glycation end-product (AGE) resulted in impaired bone remodeling and to examine whether coumarin was capable of preventing diabetic osteoporosis through boosting bone remodeling. Methods The in vitro study employed osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells that were exposed to 33 mM glucose for 6 days in the presence of 1–20 μM coumarin. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was quantitatively determined in osteoblastic cells by using stable p-nitrophenyl phosphate. In addition, murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cells were differentiated to multi-nucleated osteoclasts with receptor activator of nuclear factor-κΒ ligand (RANKL) in 33 mM glucose and 1–20 μM coumarin for 5 days. Results High glucose attenuated the ALP activity of osteoblastic cells, which was enhanced by treating 1–20 μM coumarin to cells. On the other hand, 33 mM glucose diminished TRAP and bone resorption activity in RANKL-differentiated osteoclasts, indicating that osteoclast activation was impaired under diabetic conditions. On the contrary, coumarin elevated osteoclastic differentiation and activation. In addition, coumarin ameliorated aberrant bone remodeling in osteoblasts and osteoclasts evoked by AGE. Together, coumarin improved bone remodeling impaired in diabetic osteoblasts and osteoclasts though suppressing interaction of AGE and its receptor. Conclusions These findings suggest the possibility that coumarin might be a potential agent for the treatment of diabetic osteoporosis. Funding Sources This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIT) (2019R1A2C1003218).

Do preterm bones still break? Incidence of rib fracture and osteopenia of prematurity in very low birth weight infants.

Extremely premature babies are at risk of osteopenia of prematurity (OOP) as bone mineralisation in utero increases exponentially after 24 weeks gestation. Our aim was to assess the bone health of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. We wanted to establish the incidences of OOP and rib fracture. We also looked at which biochemical markers best predicted OOP. Bone health in this vulnerable population is an important aspect of management which should not be overlooked. This was an observational study which included all VLBW infants, born in a national maternity hospital, over a 5-year period. All X-rays performed on these infants were reviewed. Data were also collected on biochemical markers associated with bone health. The medical records of infants with rib fractures were reviewed looking for causes of bone fragility. Of the 609 VLBW infants included in the study, only two cases of definitive rib fractures were found. This represents a rib fracture incidence of 3 per 1000. Thirty-nine percent of VLBW babies showed radiological evidence suggestive of OOP. Our findings show a lower rate of rib fracture in preterm infants compared to previous evidence. We also showed that these fractures were not evident on the final X-ray prior to discharge. This implies that when an ex-preterm infant presents to the emergency department with a rib fracture there should be an even higher suspicion for non-accidental injury than previously thought.

Femur Fracture Caused by Falling of a Boy with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is the most common hereditable cause of bone fragility in children. A Japanese 2-year-old boy fell accidentally from a slide, sustaining a femur shaft fracture. Several maternal family members had experienced episodes of hearing impairment and bone fracture. The injury mechanism was clear and competent. Child abuse was unlikely. Strong family history and presence of blue sclera confirmed the OI diagnosis. Any doctor treating pediatric femur fractures should recall the rare cause of OI. Clinical evaluation alone without a family interview might not complete the diagnosis with OI. We continued proposing to his parents the benefit of receiving bisphosphonate treatment.

Management of primary and secondary osteoporosis in children.

Osteoporosis in children differs from adults in terms of definition, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment options. Primary osteoporosis comprises primarily of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), but there are significant other causes of bone fragility in children that require treatment. Secondary osteoporosis can be a result of muscle disuse, iatrogenic causes, such as steroids, chronic inflammation, delayed or arrested puberty and thalassaemia major. Investigations involve bone biochemistry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan for bone densitometry and vertebral fracture assessment, radiographic assessment of the spine and, in some cases, quantitative computed tomography (QCT) or peripheral QCT. It is important that bone mineral density (BMD) results are adjusted based on age, gender and height, in order to reflect size corrections in children. Genetics are being used increasingly for the diagnosis and classification of various cases of primary osteoporosis. Bone turnover markers are used less frequently in children, but can be helpful in monitoring treatment and transiliac bone biopsy can assist in the diagnosis of atypical cases of osteoporosis. The management of children with osteoporosis requires a multidisciplinary team of health professionals with expertise in paediatric bone disease. The prevention and treatment of fragility fractures and improvement of the quality of life of patients are important aims of a specialised service. The drugs used most commonly in children are bisphosphonates, that, with timely treatment, can give good results in improving BMD and reshaping vertebral fractures. The data regarding their effect on reducing long bone fractures are equivocal. Denosumab is being used increasingly for various conditions with mixed results. There are more drugs trialled in adults, but these are not yet licenced for children. Increasing awareness of risk factors for paediatric osteoporosis, screening and referral to a specialist team for appropriate management can lead to early detection and treatment of asymptomatic fractures and prevention of further bone damage.

Glucocorticoid-Induced Bone Fragility Is Prevented in Female Mice by Blocking Pyk2/Anoikis Signaling.

Excess of glucocorticoids (GCs) is a leading cause of bone fragility, and therapeutic targets are sorely needed. We report that genetic deletion or pharmacological inhibition of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) prevents GC-induced bone loss by overriding GC effects of detachment-induced bone cell apoptosis (anoikis). In wild-type or vehicle-treated mice, GCs either prevented osteoclast apoptosis or promoted osteoblast/osteocyte apoptosis. In contrast, mice lacking Pyk2 [knockout (KO)] or treated with Pyk2 kinase inhibitor PF-431396 (PF) were protected. KO or PF-treated mice were also protected from GC-induced bone resorption, microarchitecture deterioration, and weakening of biomechanical properties. In KO and PF-treated mice, GC increased osteoclasts in bone and circulating tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase form 5b, an index of osteoclast number. However, bone surfaces covered by osteoclasts and circulating C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen, an index of osteoclast function, were not increased. The mismatch between osteoclast number vs function induced by Pyk2 deficiency/inhibition was due to osteoclast detachment and anoikis. Further, GC prolongation of osteoclast lifespan was absent in KO and PF-treated osteoclasts, demonstrating Pyk2 as an intrinsic osteoclast-survival regulator. Circumventing Pyk2 activation preserves skeletal integrity by preventing GC effects on bone cell survival (proapoptotic for osteoblasts/osteocytes, antiapoptotic for osteoclasts) and GC-induced bone resorption. Thus, Pyk2/anoikis signaling as a therapeutic target for GC-induced osteoporosis.

Diabetes Mellitus-induced Bone Fragility.

Accumulating evidence has shown that the risk of osteoporotic fractures is increased in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Thus, DM-induced bone fragility has been recently recognized as a diabetic complication. Because the fracture risk is independent of the reduction in bone mineral density, deterioration of the bone quality may be the main cause of bone fragility. Although its mechanism remains poorly understood, accumulated collagen cross-links of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and dysfunctions of osteoblast and osteocyte may be involved. Previous studies have suggested that various diabetes-related factors, such as chronic hyperglycemia, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I, AGEs, and homocysteine, are associated with the risk of bone fragility caused by impaired bone formation and bone remodeling. Furthermore, several anti-diabetic drugs are known to affect bone metabolism and fracture risk. We herein review the association between DM and fracture risk as well as the mechanism of DM-induced bone fragility based on recent evidence.

Fragility fractures and bone remodeling in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Fracture risk is significantly increased in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes and individuals with diabetes experience worse fracture outcomes compared to normoglycemic individuals. Patients with T1DM have decreased bone mineral density (BMD), whereas patients with T2DM demonstrate increased BMD compared to healthy control. The latest studies show increased incidence of low-traumatic fractures in patients with T2DM instead of high bone mineral density (BMD). The risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients with T2DM can be explained by disease complications and increased risk of falls and consequent trauma. However, the most important cause of bone fragility in T2DM is the deterioration in bone microarchitecture, the mechanism of which is not completely understood. High BMD in patients with T2DM does not allow us to use dual-energy X-ray-absorptiometry as a gold standard test for diagnosticsof osteoporosis. Consequently,new risk factors and diagnostic algorithm as well as treatment strategy should be developed for patients with T2DM. In addition to this, some researchers considered that the group of T2DM is geterogenous and physicians might face patients with osteoporosis and mild diabetes that add very little to bone fragility; patients with osteoporosis and moderate or severe diabetes which also affects bone tissue diabetoosteoporosis; and patients without osteoporosis but severe diabetes which cause bone tissue deterioration with the development of diabetic bone disease. New diagnostic tools and algorithm and new experimental research are needed for better understanding bone deterioration in patients with T2DM. This review summarizes our current knowledge on fracture rate, risk factors for fractures and causes of bone deterioration in subjects with T2DM.

Compound heterozygous variants in NBAS as a cause of atypical osteogenesis imperfecta

BackgroundOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI), the commonest inherited bone fragility disorder, affects 1 in 15,000 live births resulting in frequent fractures and reduced mobility, with significant impact on quality of life. Early diagnosis is important, as therapeutic advances can lead to improved clinical outcome and patient benefit. ReportWhole exome sequencing in patients with OI identified, in two patients with a multi-system phenotype, compound heterozygous variants in NBAS (neuroblastoma amplified sequence). Patient 1: NBAS c.5741G>A p.(Arg1914His); c.3010C>T p.(Arg1004*) in a 10-year old boy with significant short stature, bone fragility requiring treatment with bisphosphonates, developmental delay and immunodeficiency. Patient 2: NBAS c.5741G>A p.(Arg1914His); c.2032C>T p.(Gln678*) in a 5-year old boy with similar presenting features, bone fragility, mild developmental delay, abnormal liver function tests and immunodeficiency. DiscussionHomozygous missense NBAS variants cause SOPH syndrome (short stature; optic atrophy; Pelger-Huet anomaly), the same missense variant was found in our patients on one allele and a nonsense variant in the other allele. Recent literature suggests a multi-system phenotype. In this study, patient fibroblasts have shown reduced collagen expression, compared to control cells and RNAseq studies, in bone cells show that NBAS is expressed in osteoblasts and osteocytes of rodents and primates. These findings provide proof-of-concept that NBAS mutations have mechanistic effects in bone, and that NBAS variants are a novel cause of bone fragility, which is distinguishable from ‘Classical’ OI. ConclusionsHere we report on variants in NBAS, as a cause of bone fragility in humans, and expand the phenotypic spectrum associated with NBAS. We explore the mechanism underlying NBAS and the striking skeletal phenotype in our patients.

Atypical femoral fracture in a 51-year-old woman: Revealing a hypophosphatasia

We report a 51-year old woman who suffered 2 atypical subtrochanteric femoral fractures (AFFs). She had a history of several metatarsal fractures. She had a normal bone densitometry. An adult form of hypophosphatasia (HPP) was diagnosed from low serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and tissue nonspecific isoenzyme of ALP (TNSALP) mutation analysis revealing 2 heterozygous mutations: c.299C>T (p. T100M) and c.571G>A (p. E191K). Low ALP is the hallmark of the diagnosis of HPP; which is associated in adults with premature loss of deciduous teeth, recurrent metatarsal stress fractures, and joints and tendons disorders. The incidence of AFFs in the population is 5.9 per 100,000 person-years. Physicians and patients with bone fragility must pay attention to prodromal pain, which require urgent radiographic evaluation of both femurs. Rheumatoid arthritis, use of glucocorticoids, and proton pump inhibitors have been associated with an excess risk of AFFs. Healthy subjects carrying a TNSALP mutation with low ALP value may be exposed to develop AFF spontaneously or while receiving potent anti-resorptive drugs. Low ALP must be checked as a cause of bone fragility.

Moderate chronic kidney disease impairs bone quality in C57Bl/6J mice

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) increases bone fracture risk. While the causes of bone fragility in CKD are not clear, the disrupted mineral homeostasis inherent to CKD may cause material quality changes to bone tissue. In this study, 11-week-old male C57Bl/6J mice underwent either 5/6th nephrectomy (5/6 Nx) or sham surgeries. Mice were fed a normal chow diet and euthanized 11weeks post-surgery. Moderate CKD with high bone turnover was established in the 5/6 Nx group as determined through serum chemistry and bone gene expression assays. We compared nanoindentation modulus and mineral volume fraction (assessed through quantitative backscattered scanning electron microscopy) at matched sites in arrays placed on the cortical bone of the tibia mid-diaphysis. Trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture and whole bone strength were also evaluated. We found that moderate CKD minimally affected bone microarchitecture and did not influence whole bone strength. Meanwhile, bone material quality decreased with CKD; a pattern of altered tissue maturation was observed with 5/6 Nx whereby the newest 60μm of bone tissue adjacent to the periosteal surface had lower indentation modulus and mineral volume fraction than more interior, older bone. The variance of modulus and mineral volume fraction was also altered following 5/6 Nx, implying that tissue-scale heterogeneity may be negatively affected by CKD. The observed lower bone material quality may play a role in the decreased fracture resistance that is clinically associated with human CKD.

Variable brain phenotype primarily affects the brainstem and cerebellum in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta caused by recessive WNT1 mutations

Autosomal recessively inherited mutations in WNT1 were recently identified as a cause of severe osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).1–6 This finding does not address the critical role of Wnt1 in mid-hindbrain development...

Discordance between Prevalent Vertebral Fracture and Vertebral Strength Estimated by the Finite Element Method Based on Quantitative Computed Tomography in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

BackgroundBone fragility is increased in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but a useful method to estimate bone fragility in T2DM patients is lacking because bone mineral density alone is not sufficient to assess the risk of fracture. This study investigated the association between prevalent vertebral fractures (VFs) and the vertebral strength index estimated by the quantitative computed tomography-based nonlinear finite element method (QCT-based nonlinear FEM) using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) for clinical practice use.Research Design and MethodsA cross-sectional observational study was conducted on 54 postmenopausal women and 92 men over 50 years of age, all of whom had T2DM. The vertebral strength index was compared in patients with and without VFs confirmed by spinal radiographs. A standard FEM procedure was performed with the application of known parameters for the bone material properties obtained from nondiabetic subjects.ResultsA total of 20 women (37.0%) and 39 men (42.4%) with VFs were identified. The vertebral strength index was significantly higher in the men than in the women (P<0.01). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the vertebral strength index was significantly and positively correlated with the spinal bone mineral density (BMD) and inversely associated with age in both genders. There were no significant differences in the parameters, including the vertebral strength index, between patients with and without VFs. Logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, spine BMD, BMI, HbA1c, and duration of T2DM did not indicate a significant relationship between the vertebral strength index and the presence of VFs.ConclusionThe vertebral strength index calculated by QCT-based nonlinear FEM using material property parameters obtained from nondiabetic subjects, whose risk of fracture is lower than that of T2DM patients, was not significantly associated with bone fragility in patients with T2DM. This discordance may indirectly suggest that patients with T2DM have deteriorated bone material compared with nondiabetic subjects, a potential cause of bone fragility in T2DM patients.

Bone Cell Biology Assessed by Microscopic Approach. The effects of active vitamin D3 such as alfacalcidol and eldecalcitol on bone quality

Active vitamin D3 is used for the treatment for osteoporosis in Japan. Recently, data have accumulated that collagen cross-link formation in bone affect bone strength. In fact, impaired enzymatic cross-linking, over-hydroxylation of crosslinks, and an increase in non-enzymatic crosslinking advanced glycation end products (AGEs) such as pentosidine, in bone collagen have been proposed as a major cause of bone fragility in osteoporosis. We reported that alfacalcidol and eldecalcitol improves bone material properties such as collagen cross-link formation, microarchitecture, and microcrack resulting in the increase of bone strength (Saito M, Bone 2010;46:1170-1179, Calcif Tissue Int 2011;88:314-324, Bone, 2015;73:8-15). In this review, we described how active vitamin D3 improve bone collagen cross-link formation and mineral qualities.

Galactosyltransferase-1 deficiency: a novel cause of bone fragility due to impaired proteoglycan synthesis

Galactosyltransferase-1 deficiency: a novel cause of bone fragility due to impaired proteoglycan synthesis