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D J Baylink

Publications and source records attributed to D J Baylink.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

IGF-II receptor number is increased in TE-85 osteosarcoma cells by combined magnetic fields.

Human osteosarcoma-derived osteoblast-like cells, TE-85, were used to assess the effect of a low frequency alternating magnetic field in combination with a controlled static magnetic field (combined magnetic fields, CMF) on insulin-like growth factor receptor regulation. In our culture system, application of a 15.3 Hz CMF induces a calculated maximum electrical potential in the culture media of 10(-5) V/m. Initial characterization of TE-85 cells demonstrated that (a) TE-85 cells contain both type I insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) and IGF-II receptors and (b) dose dependence for IGF-stimulated cell proliferation were comparable to the affinities of the IGF's binding to membrane binding sites (i.e., receptors had dissociation constants in the low nanomolar concentration range). The studies with CMF exposure revealed that CMF treatment for 30 minutes increased the number of IGF-II receptors in a frequency-dependent manner without affecting the number of IGF-I receptors. The CMF-dependent increase in IGF-II receptor number was associated with a significant increase in the IGF-II dissociation constant. These results indicate that a membrane receptor levels can be altered by short-term exposure to low-energy, low-frequency electromagnetic fields and suggest a potential biochemical mechanism for electromagnetic effects on bone formation and remodeling.

Analysis of Variance↗

Evidence that human bone cells in culture secrete insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II and IGF binding protein-3 but not acid-labile subunit both under basal and regulated conditions.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are found in human circulation predominantly as part of a growth hormone (GH)-dependent complex of 125-150 kD, which is composed of three subunits: IGF-I or IGF-II, an acid stable IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-3, and an acid labile subunit (ALS). Although recent studies demonstrate that a number of cell types in culture secrete IGFs and IGFBP-3, very little is known with regard to the origin of circulating ALS. To test the hypothesis that human bone cells (HBCs), which produce abundant amounts of IGF-II and IGFBP-3, also produce ALS, we measured the IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, and ALS levels using specific radioimmunoassays (RIAs) in the conditioned medium (CM) of untransformed normal HBCs and SaOS-2 osteosarcoma cells treated with various effectors (IGF-II, osteogenic protein-1 [OP-1, bone morphogenetic protein-7] and human GH) for 48 h. No detectable levels (< 3 ng/ml) of ALS were found in the CM of various HBC types under basal conditions. In contrast, CM collected from liver explants in culture contained significant amount of ALS prepared and assayed under identical conditions. The IGF-I level was also undetectable in the CM of various HBC types. In the IGF-II (3, 30 ng/ml)-treated HBC CM, the IGFBP-3 level was increased in a dose-dependent manner but neither IGF-I nor ALS could be detected. In the SaOS-2 cell culture, OP-1 (1, 100 ng/ml) increased both IGF-II and IGFBP-3 secretion but neither ALS nor IGF-I secretion. Treatment of HBCs with GH (1, 10, 100 ng/ml) had no significant effect on the secretion of either IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, or ALS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Pretreatment with low doses of norethindrone potentiates the osteogenic effects of fluoride on human osteosarcoma cells.

We recently reported that picomolar doses of norethindrone (NET), a synthetic analog of 19-nortestosterone, significantly stimulated human TE85 osteosarcoma cell proliferation, differentiation, and activity in vitro. In the present study, we investigated the possibility that NET interacts with another osteogenic agent, i.e., fluoride, to stimulate human TE85 osteosarcoma cell proliferation, differentiation, and activities. Bone cell proliferation was measured by the stimulation in [3H]thymidine incorporation. Differentiation was monitored by the increase in alkaline phosphatase-specific activity. Osteoblastic activity was assessed by the stimulations in collagen synthesis and in osteocalcin secretion (in the presence of 1 nM 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3). When the human TE85 cells were incubated with mitogenic doses of NET and fluoride concurrently, the stimulatory effects of the two agents on these parameters exhibited no significant interaction. The enhancing effect of NET on the osteogenic effect of fluoride was not due to a shift of the fluoride dose response curve. Pretreatment with NET for 24 h followed by a treatment with a mitogenic dose (i.e., 100 microM) of fluoride for an additional 24 h significantly and synergistically potentiated the effects of fluoride on the [3H]thymidine incorporation, alkaline phosphatase-specific activity, collagen synthesis, and osteocalcin secretion, compared with those with the subsequent vehicle (0.05% ethanol) treatments. In contrast, pretreatment with fluoride for 24 h before the addition of NET for 24 h did not produce significant synergistic stimulations in the test parameters. Pretreatment of TE85 cells with the same doses of dihydrotestosterone or progesterone prior to treatment with fluoride under the same conditions did not induce synergistic potentiation of fluoride in [3H]thymidine incorporation, suggesting that the synergistic interaction with fluoride is probably not a common property of anabolic sex steroids. In summary, we found that: (1) the osteogenic effects of fluoride and NET were additive when cells were treated with both agents concurrently; (2) a 24-h pretreatment with picomolar doses of NET potentiated the osteogenic actions of fluoride in human TE85 osteosarcoma cells; and (3) pretreatment with NET produced a subsequent fluoride response that was synergistic. In conclusion, these findings led us to speculate that the osteogenic actions of NET and fluoride act through different mechanisms, and that NET at low doses has a permissive effect on the osteogenic effects of fluoride, and as such NET may be used in concert with fluoride to increase osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and activity.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Effects of extracellular calcium on insulin-like growth factor II in human bone cells.

Extracellular calcium concentration is critically important for normal function of the body. Recently, reports have shown that cells derived from parathyroid glands contain an extracellular calcium receptor that is responsive to changes in extracellular calcium. Bone is intimately involved in calcium homeostasis; therefore, we sought to test the hypothesis that extracellular calcium has direct effects on bone cells. Extracellular calcium was increased by the addition of varying concentrations of CaCl2 (0.4-2.0 mM) to the control medium. An increase in extracellular calcium increased cell proliferation, as assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation, in a number of cell types including normal human bone cells derived from vertebrae (HBV155) and a number of human osteosarcoma cell lines. The increase in cell proliferation by elevated CaCl2 was dose dependent, whereas MgCl2 was not effective at the doses tested (up to 2 mM added MgCl2). To test the hypothesis that the mitogenic activity of elevated extracellular calcium involved a growth factor, levels of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) were measured in the conditioned medium of HBV155 cells by radioimmunoassay after removal of binding proteins by size exclusion chromatography. The effects of an increase in extracellular calcium by 1 mM were: 1) increased culture media levels of IGF-II within 1 h of treatment, 2) the increase in IGF-II levels reached a maximum after 8 h of treatment, and 3) IGF-II levels were still elevated after 24 h of treatment. Furthermore, a blocking monoclonal antibody against IGF-II abolished the increased cell proliferation in HBV155 cells following elevation of extracellular calcium. Taken together, these findings suggest that an increase in extracellular calcium results in an increase in IGF-II which is required for the subsequent increase in cell proliferation.

Analysis of Variance↗

Low dose phenytoin is an osteogenic agent in the rat.

Long-term use of phenytoin for the treatment of epilepsy has been associated with increased thickness of craniofacial bones. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possibility that low doses of phenytoin are osteogenic in vivo by measuring the effects of phenytoin administration on serum and bone histomorphometric parameters of bone formation in two rat experiments. In the first experiment, four groups of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received daily I.P. injections of 0, 5, 50, or 150 mg/kg/day of phenytoin, respectively, for 47 days. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin were increased by 5 and 50 mg/kg/day phenytoin. The increases in osteocalcin and ALP occurred by day 7 and day 21, respectively. The tibial diaphyseal mineral apposition rate (MAR) at sacrifice (day 48) was significantly increased in rats receiving 5 mg/kg/day phenytoin. At a dose of 150 mg/kg/day, the increase in serum ALP, osteocalcin and MAR was reversed. No significant differences in serum calcium, phosphorus, or 1,25(OH)2D3 levels were seen. In a second experiment, three groups of rats received daily I.P. injection of lower doses of phenytoin (i.e., 0, 1, or 5 mg/kg/day, respectively) for 42 days. Phenytoin also did not affect the growth rate or serum calcium, phosphorus, and 25(OH)D3 levels. Daily injection of 5 mg/kg/day phenytoin significantly increased several measures of bone formation, i.e., serum ALP and osteocalcin bone ALP, periosteal MAR, and trabecular bone volume.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Phenytoin and fluoride act in concert to stimulate bone formation and to increase bone volume in adult male rats.

We have recently demonstrated that phenytoin is an osteogenic agent at low doses. The present paper describes observations that a mitogenic dose (i.e., 20 microM in BGJb medium) of fluoride significantly augments the phenytoin-dependent stimulation of normal human bone cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in cell culture. Additionally, the present study was designed to investigate whether fluoride and phenytoin would interact to increase bone formation in rats in vivo. Four groups of weight-matched adult male rats received daily I.P. injection of (1) vehicle (10% DMSO), (2) 5 mg/kg/day phenytoin, (3) 5 mg/kg/day phenytoin and 50 ppm NaF, and (4) 50 ppm NaF and vehicle, respectively, for 36 days. Sodium fluoride (NaF) was delivered in drinking water. Blood samples were drawn weekly and analyzed for serum osteocalcin, ALP, calcium, phosphorus, and 25(OH)D3. Rats were labeled with tetracycline at day 21 and 30 and histomorphometric analysis was carried out on the tibia at the end of the experiment. Neither agent by itself or together affected the serum calcium, phosphorus, or 25(OH)D3 levels. All measures of bone formation, i.e., serum osteocalcin level and ALP activity, bone ALP specific activity, mineral apposition rate, bone formation rate, and % bone formation surface, were increased by each agent. Fluoride and phenytoin together produced bigger increases in each parameter than did each agent alone. Trabecular bone volume was increased in the tibial metaphysis by fluoride or phenytoin alone; and when administered together, the two agents produced a greater increase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

An age-related decrease in the concentration of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 in human cortical bone.

The skeletal contents of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF-II), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were determined in duplicate samples of human femoral cortical bone obtained from 64 subjects (44 males and 20 females) between the ages of 20 and 64 years. The results of these quantitative measurements revealed an age-related decrease in the femoral cortical content of IGFBP-5 (r = -0.272, P = 0.031) in the total population. Although the femoral cortical content of IGF-II did not show a similar decrease with age, it could be correlated to the femoral cortical content of IGFBP-5 (r = 0.442, P < 0.001). In contrast, the femoral cortical content of IGFBP-3 did not decrease with age and could not be correlated to the femoral cortical contents of either IGFBP-5 or IGF-II. Comparisons of these results with previous measurements of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), in extracts of the same bones, showed significant cross-correlations between the femoral cortical contents of each of these growth factors and the femoral cortical contents of IGFBP-5 (r = 0.625 for IGF-I versus IGFBP-5, r = 0.554 for TGF-beta versus IGFBP-5, P < 0.001 for each) but not IGFBP-3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Histomorphometric analysis of iliac crest bone biopsies in placebo-treated versus fluoride-treated subjects.

In a 4-year controlled, prospective trial, histomorphometric analysis was used to compare the tissue-level skeletal effects of fluoride therapy in 43 postmenopausal women (75 mg NaF/day) with those of 35 matching placebo subjects; all subjects received 1500 mg/day elemental calcium supplement. In addition to an initial, baseline biopsy, a second biopsy was obtained after 6, 18, 30 or 48 months. Measurements were made on a third biopsy obtained from 8 subjects following at least 72 months of fluoride therapy. The change in cancellous bone volume or trabecular thickness in fluoride-treated subjects was not different from a change in placebo-treated subjects. However, paired analysis in the fluoride-treated subjects indicated that bone volume was increased between the first and second biopsies (p < 0.005). Both osteoid length and width were significantly increased in fluoride compared with placebo subjects; however, only the osteoid surface increased linearly (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). The mineral apposition rate and relative tetracycline-covered bone surface were not different between fluoride and placebo treatment, although they were decreased in both groups in the second biopsy. The tetracycline-covered bone surface returned to normal in the third biopsy. Definitive evidence for osteomalacia is a prolonged mineralization lag time, which following fluoride treatment was found to be increased 9-fold in the second biopsy and 4-fold in the third biopsy. Further evidence for osteomalacia was increased osteoid thickness by 6 months, evidence of focal areas of interstitial mineralization defects, and broad tetracycline labels of low fluorescence intensity. In the third biopsies, osteoclastic resorption was observed beneath osteoid seams. Fluoride therapy increased the cortical width compared with placebo treatment (p < 0.02), and increased the osteoid surface in Haversian canals, but did not change the osteoid width, resorption surface or cortical porosity. After an initial rise, serum fluoride levels remained constant, and the urine values fell slightly. The bone fluoride concentration rose throughout the treatment period, and was correlated with the change in osteoid-covered bone surface (r = 0.56, p < 0.001). Although we found definitive evidence for osteomalacia, the cause of the osteomalacia was not determined in this study. On the other hand, the presence of bone resorption beneath unmineralized osteoid and of osteocyte halos is suggestive of hyperparathyroidism. Thus, it is possible that the strong stimulus for bone formation brought about by fluoride therapy resulted in relative calcium deficiency.

Aged↗

Age-related changes in IGFBP-4 and IGFBP-5 levels in human serum and bone: implications for bone loss with aging.

Osteoporosis develops because of an age-dependent imbalance between the rates of bone formation and bone resorption (i.e. bone formation rate is inadequate compared with bone resorption rate to maintain bone volume). With regard to the mechanism for the deficiency in bone formation, we propose that age-associated changes in the IGF system components contribute to an age-related decrease in the skeletal capacity for osteoblast cell proliferation. As a means of testing this hypothesis, we have measured serum levels of IGFBP-4 and IGFBP-5 since our studies have shown that the mitogenic actions of IGFs in bone cells are modulated by inhibitory IGFBP-4 and stimulatory IGFBP-5. By using newly developed and validated radioimmunoassays for measurement of IGFBP-4 and IGFBP-5, we found that the circulating level of IGFBP-4 increases with age while that of IGFBP-5 declines with age. In subjects from 23-87 years, serum IGFBP-4 concentrations showed a significant positive correlation with serum PTH while serum IGFBP-5 concentrations showed a significant positive correlation with IGF-I. These age-related changes in the serum levels of IGF system components are consistent with our previous findings of age-related decreases in the femoral cortical contents of IGF-I, IGF-II and IGFBP-5. Although the biological implications of the sequestration of IGFs in bone are unknown, we have hypothesized that the level of the IGFs in bone is a reflection of their integrated local secretion by osteoblasts. Based on our data, we now propose a model in which (a) underproduction of the stimulatory components and overproduction of an inhibitory component of the IGF system occur as a consequence of aging, and (b) these changes lead to an age-related decrease in the local (autocrine/paracrine) as well as the hormonal (endocrine) actions of the IGFs, which in aggregate could contribute to the decrease in osteoblast proliferation and the deficiency in bone formation. In conclusion, although our findings provide indirect evidence that age associated changes in IGF system components could lead to a deficit in bone formation, further studies are needed to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship between changes in bone cell production of IGF system components and the age-related uncoupling of bone formation from resorption.

Aging↗

The insulin-like growth factor system and the coupling of formation to resorption.

In the adult skeleton, bone formation is regulated by an event referred to as the coupling of formation to resorption (i.e., formation is linked to resorption), which is thought to be mediated in part by locally produced growth factors. Although human bone cells produce and human bones contain a variety of growth factors, there is sufficient evidence to document an important role for the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system in mediating this coupling process in bone. Studies on the basic aspects of the IGF system in bone reveal that it is complex and involves a number of components which include the IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs; mainly IGFBP-3, -4, and -5), specific extracellular IGFBP proteases, and receptors (types 1 and 2). Based on recent experimental evidence from a number of laboratories, we propose the following models of IGF action on the regulation of the coupled increase in bone formation in response to bone resorption: (1) IGF release from bone during bone resorption promotes osteoblasts to initiate cavity refilling; (2) IGF production by osteoclasts creates a population of osteoblasts in proportion to the volume of bone tissue resorbed; and (3) IGF production by stromal cells and osteoblasts predominantly regulates the extent of cavity refill. The amount of growth factor production by osteoblasts and contemporary cells of osteoblast lineage can be further controlled by both systemic and local factors which together determine the eventual level of fill-in of the resorption cavity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Phenytoin at micromolar concentrations is an osteogenic agent for human-mandible-derived bone cells in vitro.

The present study sought to test the hypothesis that phenytoin acts on normal human-mandible-derived bone cells to induce osteogenic effects. To test the effects of phenytoin on bone cell proliferation, we measured [3H]-thymidine incorporation into cell DNA during the final four hr of a 24-hour incubation with phenytoin. Phenytoin at micromolar concentrations significantly stimulated the [3H]-thymidine incorporation in a dose-dependent, biphasic, manner with a maximal effect at from 10 to 50 microM. We confirmed the proliferative effect of phenytoin by counting cell number. To evaluate the effects of phenytoin on osteoblastic differentiation, we determined alkaline-phosphatase specific activity and found that phenytoin at micromolar concentrations significantly increased that activity in a dose-dependent manner, with maximal stimulation at approximately 1 microM. To investigate the effects of phenytoin on mature osteoblastic activities, we measured de novo collagen synthesis and osteocalcin secretion. Mitogenic doses of phenytoin significantly increased collagen synthesis and osteocalcin secretion in a dose-dependent, biphasic, manner, with the maximal stimulatory dose at from 5 to 10 microM. In summary, phenytoin at micromolar ranges increased (a) [3H]-thymidine incorporation and cell number, (b) alkaline-phosphatase specific activity, (c) collagen synthesis, and (d) osteocalcin secretion in monolayer cultures of normal human-mandible-derived bone cells. These observations are consistent with the premise that low doses of phenytoin act on human craniofacial bone cells to stimulate cell proliferation, differentiation, and mature osteoblastic activities to stimulate bone formation.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Regulation of insulin-like growth factor system components by osteogenic protein-1 in human bone cells.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have the unique ability to convert mesenchymal cells into matrix-producing osteoblasts. To understand the mechanism(s) by which a BMP produces a multitude of effects on bone cells, we examined the effects of recombinant human osteogenic protein (OP)-1 (referred to as BMP-7) on the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) regulatory system, an important growth factor system in bone. After 48 h of treatment, OP-1 increased the level of IGF-II (3- and 2-fold, respectively, at 100 ng/ml) in the conditioned medium (CM) of SaOS-2 and TE85 human osteosarcoma cells with osteoblastic characteristics, whereas IGF-I levels were low to undetectable in the CM of either cell type. OP-1 treatment had no significant effect on the messenger RNA (mRNA) level for type 1 and type 2 IGF receptors. In TE85 and SaOS-2 cells, 100 ng/ml OP-1 increased the level of IGF binding protein (BP)-3 more than 10-fold, decreased the IGFBP-4 level by 50%, and increased the level of the 29-32.5 kDa IGFBP-5 3-fold in the CM as determined by analysis with Western ligand blot, Western immunoblot, and RIA. The effect of OP-1 on IGFBP production was time and dose dependent. The OP-1 induced changes in the levels of IGFBPs were associated with decreased IGFBP-3 and -5 protease activity (29% and 71%, respectively) and proportional changes in IGFBP mRNA levels. OP-1 increased the level of IGFBP-3 mRNA (2- and 10-fold, respectively, after 4 and 24 h of treatment at 100 ng/ml) and of IGFBP-5 mRNA (more than 5-fold after 24 h of treatment) but decreased the level of IGFBP-4 mRNA (> 50% after 24 h at 100 ng/ml). OP-1 treatment had no effect on IGFBP-4 protease activity. These results collectively demonstrate that OP-1 can act locally by modulating the IGF regulatory system, suggesting that the mitogenic/differentiative effect of OP-1 on human bone cells may in part be mediated via IGF-II by increasing its secretion, and by regulating the balance between the stimulatory (e.g. IGFBP-5) and inhibitory (e.g. IGFBP-4) classes of IGFBPs both at the level of production (mRNA) and at the level of degradation but not by up-regulating the IGF receptor.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7↗

Combined magnetic fields increase insulin-like growth factor-II in TE-85 human osteosarcoma bone cell cultures.

In vitro exposure to low-energy, combined magnetic fields (CMF) increased the release of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II from human TE-85 osteosarcoma cells. Short-term CMF exposure of only 10 min increased IGF-II levels in conditioned medium 1 h post CMF exposure. IGF-II levels were measured with a radioreceptor assay using H-35 cells that contain abundant IGF-II but not IGF-I receptors. This assay also uses a recently validated BioGel P-10 acid gel filtration method to remove IGF binding protein before quantitation of either IGF-I or IGF-II. In addition to an increase in IGF-II levels, DNA synthesis, as an index of cell proliferation, was increased during the 24-h period post CMF exposure. A monoclonal antibody against IGF-II blocked the increase in cell proliferation following CMF exposure, whereas a control monoclonal antibody against osteocalcin did not attenuate the mitogenic action of CMF exposure. The effect of CMF exposure to increase both cell proliferation and IGF-II was cell-density dependent with greater stimulation by CMF observed at lower densities. Together, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that CMF exposure stimulates release/production of IGF-II from bone cells and that increased IGF-II then promotes an increase in cell proliferation.

Cell Count↗

Development of a simple valid method for the complete removal of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding proteins from IGFs in human serum and other biological fluids: comparison with acid-ethanol treatment and C18 Sep-Pak separation.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)s circulate in plasma as large mol wt proteins bound to specific proteins, termed IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). As IGFBPs have been shown to produce artifacts in IGF radioligand assays, various extraction procedures have been proposed to eliminate IGFBPs from biological samples before radioligand assays. Comparison of acid-ethanol and C18 Sep-Pak extraction methods, the two most widely used procedures for separation of IGFs from IGFBPs in human serum samples, with the established gold standard (Sephadex G-75 acid gel filtration) revealed that a significant amount of IGFBP activity survived the acid-ethanol extraction and C18 Sep-Pak separation techniques. We, therefore, have developed a simple novel method comprising a combination of two techniques, involving separation based on size and separation based on centrifugation. In this method, serum samples were acidified and applied to Bio-Spin columns containing BSA-pretreated Bio-Gel Polyacrylamide-10 (P-10). Upon centrifugation, IGFBPs eluted in the void volume. IGFs were then eluted with 1 mol/L acetic acid containing 0.1 mol/L NaCl upon subsequent centrifugation. The efficacy of Bio-Spin P-10 separation for the complete removal of IGFBPs was determined by Western ligand blot analysis and determination of IGFBP-3 levels by RIA in the extracted serum samples. The recovery of exogenously added IGF-I to the serum samples was greater than 90%. Comparison of IGF-I and IGF-II values determined in 12 human serum samples after Bio-Spin P-10 separation with those obtained after separation with the established gold standard method (Sephadex G-75) revealed a correlation greater than 0.9. In contrast to the established gold standard method, which is tedious and time consuming, Bio-Spin P-10 separation offers the advantage of speed, such that 50 or more samples can be processed in less than 4-6 h. Application of Bio-Gel P-10 gel filtration to determine the IGF-I and IGF-II levels in 14 normal and 15 age-matched postmenopausal osteoporotic women revealed that 1) both IGF-I and IGF-II levels were reduced by 30% (P < 0.01) and 20% (P < 0.05), respectively, in osteoporotics; and 2) both IGF-I and IGF-II levels correlated with bone mineral density in the pooled data from normal and osteoporotic populations even when age was held constant (P < 0.05).

Acids↗

Lack of a high prevalence of the BB vitamin D receptor genotype in severely osteoporotic women.

Studies of twins strongly suggest that more than 50% of the peak spinal bone density is determined by genetics. It was reported recently that this genetic effect is primarily determined by vitamin D receptor (VDR) alleles; specifically, a VDR genotype termed BB has been highly associated with low peak bone density. Homozygotes for the second VDR allele, bb, are associated with high peak bone density. If peak bone density is an important determinant of osteoporosis and if the VDR genotype is an important determinant of peak bone density, then patients with severe osteoporosis should have a high prevalence of the BB VDR genotype compared with that of control subjects. To test this hypothesis, we used Southern blot analysis to determine the VDR genotype of 41 Caucasian patients (72 +/- 14 yr) with severe osteoporosis (27 women with spinal bone densities below 50 mg/cm3 as determined by quantitative computed tomography; 14 women with spinal bone densities below 0.75 g/cm2 as determined by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry) and 23 Caucasian control subjects (68 +/- 7 yr) without osteoporosis (quantitative computed tomography values at or above the fracture threshold of 100 mg/cm3). Only 6 of the 41 individuals in the group with severe osteoporosis had the BB genotype, whereas 16 had the bb genotype. In the control group comprising 23 individuals, 7 had the BB genotype and only 6 had the bb genotype. We conclude that the BB VDR genotype is not a good predictor of risk for developing severe osteoporosis in our population.

Age Factors↗

Phenytoin increases markers of osteogenesis for the human species in vitro and in vivo.

Phenytoin therapy is a well recognized cause of gingival hyperplasia, a condition characterized by increased gingival collagen synthesis, and may also cause acromegalic-like facial features. Based on these clinical findings suggestive of anabolic actions, we sought to test the hypothesis that phenytoin acts on normal bone cells to induce osteogenic effects. To test the direct actions of phenytoin on human bone cells, we measured the dose responses to phenytoin for [3H]thymidine incorporation, cell number, alkaline phosphatase specific activity, and collagen synthesis in human hip bone-derived cells. Phenytoin significantly and reproducibly increased [3H]thymidine incorporation, cell number, alkaline phosphatase specific activity, and collagen synthesis in a biphasic manner with optimal stimulatory doses between 5-10 mumol/L. Thus, micromolar concentrations of phenytoin can act directly on human bone cells to stimulate osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. We next sought to test the hypothesis that phenytoin stimulates bone formation in humans in vivo. Accordingly, three serum biochemical markers of bone formation, i.e. osteocalcin, skeletal alkaline phosphatase, and procollagen C-terminal extension peptide, were measured in 39 male epileptic patients, 20-60 yr of age, with an average duration of phenytoin therapy of 10.5 +/- 1.62 yr (mean +/- SEM). In this group of patients, the mean serum phenytoin level was 9.56 +/- 0.90 mg/L (mean +/- SEM; equivalent to 34.9 +/- 3.3 mumol/L). Thirty apparently healthy male subjects of similar age and taking no medication were included as controls. Serum calcium, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, and PTH levels in the phenytoin-treated patients were not significantly different from those in the age-matched controls and were within the clinical laboratory normal range of our hospitals, indicating that the patients did not develop hypocalcemia, vitamin D deficiency, or secondary hyperparathyroidism. Serum levels of osteocalcin, skeletal alkaline phosphatase, and procollagen peptide in the phenytoin-treated patients were significantly increased compared to those in the age-matched subjects; in each case these biochemical markers were significantly correlated with the serum phenytoin level, but not with the dose or duration of phenytoin treatment. These findings are consistent with the interpretation that phenytoin increases the bone formation rate in humans in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗