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Reduced bone density and osteoporosis associated with a polymorphic Sp1 binding site in the collagen type I α 1 gene

Nature Genetics volume 14, pages 203–205 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a common disease with a strong genetic component1–3, characterized by reduced bone mass and increased fracture risk4. Current evidence suggests that the inheritance of bone mass is under polygenic control5 but the genes responsible are poorly defined. Type I collagen is the major protein of bone encoded by the COLIA1 and COLIA2 genes. While these are strong candidates for the genetic regulation of bone mass, no abnormality of either gene has so far been defined in osteoporosis6. In this study, we describe a novel G→T polymorphism in a regulatory region of COLIA1 at a recognition site for the transcription factor Sp17 that is significantly related to bone mass and osteoporotic fracture. G/T heterozygotes at the polymorphic Sp1 site (Ss) had significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) than G/G homozygotes (SS) in two populations of British women and BMD was lower still in T/T homozygotes (ss). The unfavourable Ss and ss genotypes were over-represented in patients with severe osteoporosis and vertebral fractures (54%), as compared with controls (27%), equivalent to a relative risk of 2.97 (95% confidence interval 1.63–9.56) for vertebral fracture in individuals who carry the ‘s’ allele. While the mechanisms that underlie this association remain to be defined, the COLIA1 Sp1 polymorphism appears to be an important marker for low bone mass and vertebral fracture, raising the possibility that genotyping at this site may be of value in identifying women who are at risk of osteoporosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB9 2ZD, UK

    Struan F. A. Grant, David M. Reid & Stuart H. Ralston

  2. Department of Nuclear Medicine, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 2RT, UK

    Glen Blake, Ruth Herd & Ignac Fogelman

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  1. Struan F. A. Grant
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  2. David M. Reid
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  3. Glen Blake
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  6. Stuart H. Ralston
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Grant, S., Reid, D., Blake, G. et al. Reduced bone density and osteoporosis associated with a polymorphic Sp1 binding site in the collagen type I α 1 gene. Nat Genet 14, 203–205 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1096-203

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