1. Current Analysis of Skeletal Phenotypes in Down Syndrome
- Author
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Jared Thomas and Randall J. Roper
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Down syndrome ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Appendicular skeleton ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,Population ,Osteoporosis ,030209 endocrinology & metabolism ,Biology ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Bone Density ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,education ,Bone mineral ,education.field_of_study ,medicine.disease ,Phenotype ,Osteopenia ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Endocrinology ,Bone Diseases ,Down Syndrome ,Trisomy - Abstract
PURPOSE: Down syndrome (DS) is caused by trisomy 21 (Ts21) and results in skeletal deficits including shortened stature, low bone mineral density and a predisposition to early onset osteoporosis. Ts21 causes significant alterations in skeletal development, morphology of the appendicular skeleton, bone homeostasis, age-related bone loss, and bone strength. However, the genetic or cellular origins of DS skeletal phenotypes remain unclear. RECENT FINDINGS: New studies reveal a sexual dimorphism in characteristics and onset of skeletal deficits that differ between DS and typically developing individuals. Age-related bone loss occurs earlier in the DS as compared to general population. SUMMARY: Perturbations of DS skeletal quality arise from alterations in cellular and molecular pathways affected by the overexpression of trisomic genes. Sex-specific alterations occur in critical developmental pathways that disrupt bone accrual, remodeling, and homeostasis and are compounded by aging, resulting in increased risks for osteopenia, osteoporosis and fracture in individuals with DS.
- Published
- 2021