Analysis of differential mRNA and miRNA expression induced by heterogeneous grafting in Gleditsia sinensis.

Gleditsia sinensis Lam. is a multifaceted plant with medicinal, edible, chemical, timber, and ornamental applications. However, the effect of rootstocks on scions after grafting is still unclear. This study examined the mRNA and miRNA transcriptome among homografts, heterografts, and seedlings. GO enrichment analysis between seedlings and homograft/heterograft combinations revealed that biosynthesis, degradation, and transport were enriched. The KEGG enrichment results showed that plant hormone signal transduction and the plant MAPK signaling pathway were enriched in both seedlings and heterograft combinations. Through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), the hub genes related to the content of plant hormones were obtained. Taking G. sinensis as the scion, there were 4594, 2887, 3429, and 5959 mRNAs that were specifically expressed in the grafted plants of G. sinensis/G. fera, G. sinensis/G. delavayi, G. sinensis/G. microphylla, and G. sinensis/G. japonica, respectively. The specifically expressed mRNA genes may participate in such processes and pathways as the rhythmic process, circadian rhythm, gibberellic-acid-mediated signaling pathway, and peptide-based amino acid modification. Additionally, 3, 16, 2, and 15 specifically expressed miRNAs were identified. This study examines the impact of grafting on gene expression in Gleditsia plants and establishes a foundation for the development of new resources and rootstock breeding.

Identification and analysis of MATE protein family in Gleditsia sinensis.

Many studies have shown that multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) is a new secondary transporter family that plays a key role in secondary metabolite transport, the transport of plant hormones and disease resistance in plants. However, detailed information on this family in Gleditsia sinensis has not yet been reported. In the present study, a total of 45 GsMATE protein members were identified and analysed in detail, including with gene classification, phylogenetic evaluation and conserved motif determination. Phylogenetic analysis showed that GsMATE proteins were divided into six subfamilies. Additionally, in order to understand these members' regulatory roles in growth and development in G. sinensis , the GsMATEs expression profiles in different tissues and different developmental stages of thorn were examined in transcriptome data. The results of this study demonstrated that the expression of all MATE genes varies in roots, stems and leaves. Notably, the expression levels of GsMATE26 , GsMATE32 and GsMATE43 differ most in the early stages of thorn development, peaking at higher levels than in later stages. Our results provide a foundation for further functional characterisation of this important class of transporter family in G. sinensis .

Identification, Culture Characteristics and Whole-Genome Analysis of Pestalotiopsis neglecta Causing Black Spot Blight of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica.

Black spot needle blight is a serious conifer disease of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica occurring in Northeast China, which is usually caused by the plant pathogenic fungus Pestalotiopsis neglecta. From the diseased pine needles collected in Honghuaerji, the P. neglecta strain YJ-3 was isolated and identified as the phytopathogen, and its culture characteristics were studied. Then, we generated a highly contiguous 48.36-Mbp genome assembly (N50 = 6.62 Mbp) of the P. neglecta strain YJ-3 by combining the PacBio RS II Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) and Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing platforms. The results showed that a total of 13,667 protein-coding genes were predicted and annotated using multiple bioinformatics databases. The genome assembly and annotation resource reported here will be useful for the study of fungal infection mechanisms and pathogen-host interaction.

Proteolytic ectodomain shedding of muscle-specific tyrosine kinase in myasthenia gravis.

Autoantibodies to muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) proteins at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) cause refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) with dyspnea more frequently than other MG subtypes. However, the mechanisms via which MuSK, a membrane protein locally expressed on the NMJ of skeletal muscle, is supplied to the immune system as an autoantigen remains unknown. Here, we identified MuSK in both mouse and human serum, with the amount of MuSK dramatically increasing in mice with motor nerve denervation and in MG model mice. Peptide analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) confirmed the presence of MuSK in both human and mouse serum. Furthermore, some patients with MG have significantly higher amounts of MuSK in serum than healthy controls. Our results indicated that the secretion of MuSK proteins from muscles into the bloodstream was induced by ectodomain shedding triggered by neuromuscular junction failure. The results may explain why MuSK-MG is refractory to treatments and causes rapid muscle atrophy in some patients due to the denervation associated with Ab-induced disruption of neuromuscular transmission at the NMJ. Such discoveries pave the way for new MG treatments, and MuSK may be used as a biomarker for other neuromuscular diseases in preclinical studies, clinical diagnostics, therapeutics, and drug discovery.

Anti-Cancer Activity of Gedunin by Induction of Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer AGS Cells.

Currently, gastric cancer is considered one of the major causes of high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Recent advances in therapeutics, clinical treatment, staging procedures, and imaging techniques are high, yet the prevalence of gastric cancer has not been reduced. Usage of the synthetic drug has many side effects that can lead to other ailments. Gedunin, a phytochemical derived from Azadirachta indica (neem tree), exhibits several pharmacological activities including antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antipyretics, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-diabetic, and antimalarial properties. In the current investigation, the effect of gedunin on the cell viability; reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by DCFH-DA staining; mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) by Rh-123 staining; apoptosis by AO/EtBr staining; cell migration and wound healing ability by wound scratch assay; and Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9 by ELISA techniques were analyzed in the AGS cells. The treatment with gedunin effectively inhibited the cell viability with IC50 = 20µM, increased the ROS generation, and triggered the apoptosis in AGS cells. The gedunin-treated AGS cells also demonstrated a decreased MMP status. The increment in the ROS generation leads to oxidative stress which in turn induce the apoptosis. The activity of Bax gene was upregulated and the activity of Bcl-2 gene was down-regulated in the AGS cells after the treatment with gedunin. In the AGS cells treated with gedunin, the caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities were increased. In overall, these findings suggested that gedunin can be used as a potent chemotherapeutic agent in the future to treat gastric cancer.

Increased MFG-E8 at neuromuscular junctions is an exacerbating factor for sarcopenia-associated denervation.

Sarcopenia is an important health problem associated with adverse outcomes. Although the etiology of sarcopenia remains poorly understood, factors apart from muscle fibers, including humoral factors, might be involved. Here, we used cytokine antibody arrays to identify humoral factors involved in sarcopenia and found a significant increase in levels of milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) in skeletal muscle of aged mice, compared with young mice. We found that the increase in MFG-E8 protein at arterial walls and neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) in muscles of aged mice. High levels of MFG-E8 at NMJs and an age-related increase in arterial MFG-E8 have also been identified in human skeletal muscle. In NMJs, MFG-E8 is localized on the surface of terminal Schwann cells, which are important accessory cells for the maintenance of NMJs. We found that increased MFG-E8 at NMJs precedes age-related denervation and is more prominent in sarcopenia-susceptible fast-twitch than in sarcopenia-resistant slow-twitch muscle. Comparison between fast and slow muscles further revealed that arterial MFG-E8 can be uncoupled from sarcopenic phenotype. A genetic deficiency in MFG-E8 attenuated age-related denervation of NMJs and muscle weakness, providing evidence of a pathogenic role of increased MFG-E8. Thus, our study revealed a mechanism by which increased MFG-E8 at NMJs leads to age-related NMJ degeneration and suggests that targeting MFG-E8 could be a promising therapeutic approach to prevent sarcopenia.

Protective effects of quercetin and crocin in the kidneys and liver of obese Sprague-Dawley rats with Type 2 diabetes: Effects of quercetin and crocin on T2DM rats.

Quercetin and crocin are the main active constituents of Eucommia and Gardenia species, respectively. This study was conducted to explore the effects of quercetin and crocin on fat reduction and renal fibrosis and the relationship of these compounds with autophagy. First, a model of high-fat diet- and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes was established and then subjected model animals to 8 weeks of metformin, quercetin and crocin gavage. Then, a high glucose-induced rat mesangial cells (RMCs) model was established, and these cells were cocultured with quercetin and crocin. The results showed that quercetin and crocin can decrease fasting blood glucose levels, reduce fat accumulation in the liver, alleviate renal fibrosis, and reduce blood lipid levels. Quercetin and crocin increased autophagy-related protein (LC3, Atg5, Beclin-1 and p-AMPK) levels in the liver and decreased autophagy-related protein (LC3, Atg5, Beclin-1 and p-AMPK) levels in the kidneys. Moreover, quercetin and crocin inhibited the excessive proliferation of RMCs induced by high-glucose (HG) conditions, decreased autophagy-related protein (LC3, Atg5, Beclin-1 and p-AMPK) levels, and decreased TGF-ß1 expression. Importantly, cotreatment with quercetin and crocin had a more significant effect than treatment with either compound alone. These results suggest that combined administration of quercetin and crocin can more significantly reduce blood glucose/lipid levels and improve renal fibrosis than administration of either compound alone and that AMPK-dependent autophagy might be involved in this process. Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. and Gardenia could be developed as drugs for Type 2 diabetes treatment.

Mesenchymal Bmp3b expression maintains skeletal muscle integrity and decreases in age-related sarcopenia.

Age-related sarcopenia constitutes an important health problem associated with adverse outcomes. Sarcopenia is closely associated with fat infiltration in muscle, which is attributable to interstitial mesenchymal progenitors. Mesenchymal progenitors are nonmyogenic in nature but are required for homeostatic muscle maintenance. However, the underlying mechanism of mesenchymal progenitor-dependent muscle maintenance is not clear, nor is the precise role of mesenchymal progenitors in sarcopenia. Here, we show that mice genetically engineered to specifically deplete mesenchymal progenitors exhibited phenotypes markedly similar to sarcopenia, including muscle weakness, myofiber atrophy, alterations of fiber types, and denervation at neuromuscular junctions. Through searching for genes responsible for mesenchymal progenitor-dependent muscle maintenance, we found that Bmp3b is specifically expressed in mesenchymal progenitors, whereas its expression level is significantly decreased during aging or adipogenic differentiation. The functional importance of BMP3B in maintaining myofiber mass as well as muscle-nerve interaction was demonstrated using knockout mice and cultured cells treated with BMP3B. Furthermore, the administration of recombinant BMP3B in aged mice reversed their sarcopenic phenotypes. These results reveal previously unrecognized mechanisms by which the mesenchymal progenitors ensure muscle integrity and suggest that age-related changes in mesenchymal progenitors have a considerable impact on the development of sarcopenia.

Comparative transcriptome profiling reveals cold stress responsiveness in two contrasting Chinese jujube cultivars.

BACKGROUND: Low temperature is a major factor influencing the growth and development of Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in cold winter and spring. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms enabling jujube to cope with different freezing stress conditions. To elucidate the freezing-related molecular mechanism, we conducted comparative transcriptome analysis between 'Dongzao' (low freezing tolerance cultivar) and 'Jinsixiaozao' (high freezing tolerance cultivar) using RNA-Seq. RESULTS: More than 20,000 genes were detected at chilling (4 °C) and freezing (- 10 °C, - 20 °C, - 30 °C and - 40 °C) stress between the two cultivars. The numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two cultivars were 1831, 2030, 1993, 1845 and 2137 under the five treatments. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that the metabolic pathway, response to stimulus and catalytic activity were significantly enriched under stronger freezing stress. Among the DEGs, nine participated in the Ca2+ signal pathway, thirty-two were identified to participate in sucrose metabolism, and others were identified to participate in the regulation of ROS, plant hormones and antifreeze proteins. In addition, important transcription factors (WRKY, AP2/ERF, NAC and bZIP) participating in freezing stress were activated under different degrees of freezing stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our research first provides a more comprehensive understanding of DEGs involved in freezing stress at the transcriptome level in two Z. jujuba cultivars with different freezing tolerances. These results may help to elucidate the molecular mechanism of freezing tolerance in jujube and also provides new insights and candidate genes for genetically enhancing freezing stress tolerance.

MiR-96-5p inhibition induces cell apoptosis in gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) mortality rates have remained relatively changed over the past 30 years, and it continues to be one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. AIM: To search for novel miRNAs related to GAC prognosis and further investigate the effect of miR-96-5p on MGC-803 cells. METHODS: The miRNA expression profile data of GAC based on The Cancer Genome Atlas were obtained and used to screen differently expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and DEMs related to GAC prognosis. Then, the expression of DEMs related to GAC prognosis was identified in GAC tumor samples and adjacent normal samples by qRT-PCR. The target gene, ZDHHC5, of miR-96-5p was predicted using TargetScan, miRTarBase, and miRDB databases and confirmed by luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, MGC-803 cells were transfected with inhibitor NC, miR-96-5p inhibitor, si-ZDHHC5, or miR-96-5p inhibitor + si-ZDHHC5, and then cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of ZDHHC5, Bcl-2, and COX-2 was detected using western blotting. RESULTS: A total of 299 DEMs and 35 DEMs related to GAC prognosis were screened based on The Cancer Genome Atlas. Then compared with adjacent normal samples, the levels of miR-96-5p, miR-222-5p, and miR-652-5p were remarkably increased, while miR-125-5p, miR-145-3p, and miR-379-3p levels were reduced in GAC tumor samples (P < 0.01), which were consistent with bioinformatics analysis. Furthermore, ZDHHC5 was defined as a direct target gene of miR-96-5p. miR-96-5p inhibition increased the number of apoptotic cells as well as promoted the expression of ZDHHC5, Bcl-2, and COX-2 in MGC-803 cells (P < 0.01). After ZDHHC5 inhibition, the number of apoptotic cells and the expression of ZDHHC5, Bcl-2, and COX-2 were reduced. The addition of an miR-96-5p inhibitor partly reversed these effects (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings identified six miRNAs related to GAC prognosis and suggested that downregulated miR-96-5p might induce cell apoptosis via upregulating ZDHHC5 expression in MGC-803 cells.

Genome-Wide Organization and Expression Profiling of the SBP-Box Gene Family in Chinese Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.).

Transcription factors play vital roles in the developmental processes of plants. The SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein (SBP) genes encode a family of plant-specific transcription factors and plays many crucial roles in plant development. In this study, 16 SBP-box gene family members were identified in Ziziphus jujuba Mill. Dongzao (Dongzao), which were distributed over 8 chromosomes. They were classified into seven groups according to their phylogenetic relationships with other SBP-box gene families. Within each group, genes shared similar exon-intron structures and motif locations. The number of exons varied among the groups. We identified 12 homologous gene pairs between Dongzao and Arabidopsis. Expression profiling revealed that ZjSBP02 and ZjSBP14 expressed highly in mature fruits, ZjSBP01 expressed higher in mature leaves than other tissues and the expression level of ZjSBP12 was much higher in the flowers. The transcriptome analysis indicated that ZjSBPs had different expression patterns in various tissues. This study represents the first systematic analysis of the SBP-box gene family in Z. jujuba. The data presented here provides a foundation for understanding the crucial roles of ZjSBP genes in plant growth and development.

Identification and Analysis of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Cascades in Fragaria vesca.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are highly conserved signaling modules in eukaryotes, including yeasts, plants and animals. MAPK cascades are responsible for protein phosphorylation during signal transduction events, and typically consist of three protein kinases: MAPK, MAPK kinase, and MAPK kinase kinase. In this current study, we identified a total of 12 FvMAPK, 7 FvMAPKK, 73 FvMAPKKK, and one FvMAPKKKK genes in the recently published Fragaria vesca genome sequence. This work reported the classification, annotation and phylogenetic evaluation of these genes and an assessment of conserved motifs and the expression profiling of members of the gene family were also analyzed here. The expression profiles of the MAPK and MAPKK genes in different organs and fruit developmental stages were further investigated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Finally, the MAPK and MAPKK expression patterns in response to hormone and abiotic stresses (salt, drought, and high and low temperature) were investigated in fruit and leaves of F. vesca. The results provide a platform for further characterization of the physiological and biochemical functions of MAPK cascades in strawberry.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Expression of WRKY Family Genes in Different Developmental Stages of Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) Fruit.

WRKY proteins play important regulatory roles in plant developmental processes such as senescence, trichome initiation and embryo morphogenesis. In strawberry, only FaWRKY1 (Fragaria × ananassa) has been characterized, leaving numerous WRKY genes to be identified and their function characterized. The publication of the draft genome sequence of the strawberry genome allowed us to conduct a genome-wide search for WRKY proteins in Fragaria vesca, and to compare the identified proteins with their homologs in model plants. Fifty-nine FvWRKY genes were identified and annotated from the F. vesca genome. Detailed analysis, including gene classification, annotation, phylogenetic evaluation, conserved motif determination and expression profiling, based on RNA-seq data, were performed on all members of the family. Additionally, the expression patterns of the WRKY genes in different fruit developmental stages were further investigated using qRT-PCR, to provide a foundation for further comparative genomics and functional studies of this important class of transcriptional regulators in strawberry.

Implementation of personalized medicine for fracture risk assessment in osteoporosis.

The present review summarizes our efforts to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with osteoporotic fractures and to establish a genetic risk score (GRS) to predict fracture risk in consecutive Japanese autopsy cases carried out at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital between 1995 and 2011. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms in transforming growth factor ß-1, rs1800470; thrombospondin, type 1, domain-containing 7A, rs12673692; and formiminotransferase N-terminal subdomain-containing gene, rs7605378, showed a significant association with vertebral fracture prevalence, whereas five (α-l-iduronidase, rs3755955; C7orf58, rs190543052; homeobox C4, rs75256744; G patch domain-containing gene 1, rs2287679; and Werner syndrome, rs2230009) were significantly associated with femoral fracture. GRS values were calculated as the sum of risk allele counts (unweighted GRS) or of weighted scores estimated from logistic regression coefficients (weighted GRS). Both GRS values using the five single nucleotide polymorphisms adequately predicted femoral fracture prevalence for 924 male subjects; the areas under receiver-operating characteristic curves were 0.750 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.660-0.840) and 0.770 (95% CI 0.681-0.859), respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio for the association between fracture prevalence and unweighted GRS ≥3 (n = 124) was 8.39 (95% CI 4.22-16.69, P < 0.001) relative to GRS < 3 (n = 797). Likewise, the odds ratio for a weighted GRS of 6-15 (n = 135) was 7.73 (95% CI 3.89-15.36, P < 0.001) relative to GRS 0-5 (n = 786). Therefore, the GRS based on the risk allele profiles of these five single nucleotide polymorphisms could help identify at-risk individuals and enable implementation of preventive measures for femoral fracture.

Genetic risk score based on the lifetime prevalence of femoral fracture in 924 consecutive autopsies of Japanese males.

A genetic risk score (GRS) was developed for predicting fracture risk based on lifetime prevalence of femoral fractures in 924 consecutive autopsies of Japanese males. A total of 922 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 62 osteoporosis susceptibility genes were genotyped and evaluated for their association with the prevalence of femoral fracture in autopsy cases. GRS values were calculated as the sum of risk allele counts (unweighted GRS) or the sum of weighted scores estimated from logistic regression coefficients (weighted GRS). Five SNPs (α-ʟ-iduronidase rs3755955, C7orf58 rs190543052, homeobox C4 rs75256744, G patch domain-containing gene 1 rs2287679, and Werner syndrome rs2230009) showed a significant association (P < 0.05) with the prevalence of femoral fracture in 924 male subjects. Both the unweighted and weighted GRS adequately predicted fracture prevalence; areas under receiver-operating characteristic curves were 0.750 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.660-0.840] and 0.770 (95 % CI 0.681-0.859), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio (OR) for the association between fracture prevalence and unweighted GRS ≥3 (n = 124) was 8.39 (95 % CI 4.22-16.69, P < 0.001) relative to a score <3 (n = 797). Likewise, the OR for a weighted GRS of 6-15 (n = 135) was 7.73 (95 % CI 3.89-15.36, P < 0.001) relative to scores of 0-5 (n = 786). The GRS based on risk allele profiles of the five SNPs could help identify at-risk individuals and enable implementation of preventive measures for femoral fracture.

Genetic risk score based on the prevalence of vertebral fracture in Japanese women with osteoporosis.

A genetic risk score (GRS) was developed for predicting fracture risk based on the prevalence of vertebral fractures in 441 Japanese females with osteoporosis. A total of 979 (858 nonsynonymous and 121 silent) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 74 osteoporosis-susceptibility genes were genotyped and evaluated for their association with fracture prevalence. Four SNPs (protein kinase domain containing, cytoplasmic [PKDCC; rs4952590], CDK5-regulatory subunit-associated protein 1-like 1 [CDKAL1; rs4712556], wingless-type MMTV-integration site family member 16 [WNT16; rs2707466], and G-patch domain-containing gene 1 [GPATCH1; rs10416265]) showed a significant association (p < 0.05) with the fracture, in which the minor allele of the former two SNPs was the protective allele and that of the latter two SNPs was the risk allele. Applying a dominant-genetic model, we allotted - 1 point each to the protective-allele carriers and 1 point each to the risk-allele carriers, and GRS values were calculated as the sum of the points. The receiver-operating characteristic curves showed that GRS adequately predicted vertebral fracture. For the model predicted by the GRS with and without the effect of age, areas under the curves were 0.788 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.736-0.840) and 0.667 (95% CI: 0.599-0.735), respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio for the association between fracture prevalence and GRS was 3.27 (95% CI: 1.36-7.87, p = 0.008) for scores of - 1 to 0 (n = 303) and 12.12 (95% CI: 4.19-35.07, p < 0.001) for scores of 1 to 2 (n = 35) relative to a score of - 2 (n = 103). The GRS based on the four SNPs could help identify at-risk individuals and enable implementation of preventive measures for vertebral fracture.

A missense single nucleotide polymorphism, V114I of the Werner syndrome gene, is associated with risk of osteoporosis and femoral fracture in the Japanese population.

Werner syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the human WRN gene and characterized by the early onset of normal aging symptoms. Given that patients with this disease exhibit osteoporosis, the present study aimed to determine whether the WRN gene contributes to the etiology of osteoporosis. A genetic association study of eight non-synonymous polymorphisms in the WRN gene and the incidence of femoral fracture was undertaken in 1,632 consecutive Japanese autopsies in which 140 patients had experienced the fracture during their lifetime. The results were validated in 251 unrelated postmenopausal Japanese women with osteoporosis and 269 non-institutionalized, community-dwelling Japanese adults. A statistically significant association was observed between rs2230009 (c.340G > A)--which results in a Val to Ile substitution--and fracture risk; the incidence of femoral fracture increased dose-dependently with the number of A alleles (p = 0.0120). Femoral neck bone and whole bone densities were lower among postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and community-dwelling adults, respectively, if they were of the AG instead of the GG genotype. The results suggest that Japanese subjects bearing at least one A allele of rs2230009 of the WRN gene are at a significantly higher risk of femoral fracture, possibly due to decreased bone density.

Association of the formiminotransferase N-terminal sub-domain containing gene and thrombospondin, type 1, domain-containing 7A gene with the prevalence of vertebral fracture in 2427 consecutive autopsy cases.

We previously reported 2 osteoporosis-susceptibility genes--formiminotransferase N-terminal sub-domain containing gene (FONG) and thrombospondin, type 1, domain-containing 7A (THSD7A)--in which we identified two common single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs7605378 (FONG) and rs12673692 (THSD7A). The former was associated with a predisposition to osteoporosis and the latter with bone mineral density. To further elucidate the importance of these polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, we examined their association with the incidence of vertebral fracture. DNA extracted from the renal cortex of 2427 consecutive Japanese autopsies (1331 men, mean age: 79 years; 1096 women, mean age: 82 years) were examined in this study. The presence or absence of vertebral fracture during each subject's lifetime was determined by a thorough examination of the clinical records, as well as autopsy reports. After adjustments for sex and age at autopsy, logistic regression analysis revealed that homozygotes for the risk alleles of rs7605378 (A-allele) or rs12673629 (A-allele) possess an increased risk of vertebral fracture. The subjects simultaneously homozygous for both the risk alleles of rs7605378 (AA genotype) and rs12673629 (AA genotype) showed significantly higher risk of vertebral fracture (odds ratio 2.401, 95% confidence interval 1.305-4.416, P = 0.0048) than those who had at least one non-risk allele of either rs7605378 (AC/CC genotypes) or rs12673629 (AG/GG genotypes). The results suggest that Japanese subjects homozygous for the risk alleles of rs7605378 and rs12673629 have a higher risk of vertebral fracture.

Association between estrogen receptor-ß dinucleotide repeat polymorphism and incidence of femoral fracture.

Estrogens are thought to play an important role in bone metabolism through estrogen receptors (ER). Dinucleotide (cytosine-adenine, CA) repeat polymorphism in the human ER-ß gene (ESR2) has been reported to be associated with bone mineral density. We aimed to further elucidate the importance of this polymorphism in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis by examining its association with the incidence of femoral fracture. Deoxyribonucleic acids extracted from the renal cortex of 1489 consecutive Japanese autopsies (799 male, mean age 79 years, 690 female, mean age 82 years) with complete clinical/pathological data were enrolled in the study. ESR2 CA repeat polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction using fluorescein-labeled primers. The presence or absence of femoral fracture during each subject's lifetime was determined by thorough examination of the clinical record. Incidence of femoral fracture in subjects bearing at least one allele of 20 CA repeats (4/132, 3.0 %) was significantly lower than in those without this allele (127/1357, 9.4 %, P = 0.0098). After adjustments for age and sex, logistic regression analysis revealed that having no allele of 20 CA repeats was an independent risk factor of femoral fracture [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.875, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.392-10.788, P = 0.0095], which was emphasized among women (adjusted OR 6.360, 95 % CI 1.520-26.618, P = 0.0133). Japanese subjects, especially women, bearing at least one allele of 20 CA repeats in the ESR2 may have a lower risk of femoral fracture than those without it, suggesting this polymorphism plays a role in bone metabolism.