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Objective To explore the relationship among osteoprotegerin (OPG), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and bone turnover markers, and to investigate their effect on bone turnover markers. Methods Cross-sectional study was conducted in 691 healthy women in Changsha, aging from 20 to 80 years old. The serum levels of OPG, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), osteocalcin (OC), serum cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (sNTX), and serum cross-linked C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (sCTX) were detected. Simultaneously, the levels of urinary cross-linked N-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (uNTX), urinary cross-linked C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (uCTX), and urinary deoxypyridinoline (uDPD) were also detected. The relationship between these cytokines and the bone turnover markers was analyzed. Results The serum OPG and TGF-β2 were significantly positively correlated with serum BAP, OC, uNTX, uCTX, and uDPD (r = 0. 145 - 0. 397, all P = 0. 000). The serum TGF-β1 was significantly negatively correlated with BAP, OC, sCTX, uNTX, and uCTX ( r = - 0. 114 - 0. 286, all P = 0. 004 - 0. 000). After adjusting age and BMI, the significance of partial correlation coefficients also existed. Multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that OPG and TGF-β2 were positive determinants to BAP, uNTX, and uCTX, explaining 0.6% - 16.6% variance of these markers, respectively. TGF-β1 was a negative determinant to BAP, OC, and uCTX, explaining 0. 7% -7. 3% variance of these markers, respectively. Conclusion The relationship among OPG, TGF-β, and bone turnover markers in females are revealed in this study, indicating that OPG and TGF-β in circulation are important determinants to the bone turnover rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Femoral neck fracture is the most serious osteoporotic fractures that is responsible for high medical costs and high mortality. Femoral neck geometric parameters (FNGPs) are important parameters that reflect the geometrical characteristics of femoral neck, and are closely related to the strength of femoral neck and the risk of fragility fracture.There are differences in the incidence of femoral neck fractures among races. However, whether there is difference in FNGPs among races is unknown.Therefore, this study aims to compare the differences in FNGPs between Chinese and Japanese females., Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study, in which 3 859 healthy females aged 10-86 (45.7±17.1) years old were recruited from Changsha City of Hunan Province and surrounding areas. The weight and height were measured and recorded, and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone densitometer was used to measure femoral neck projective bone area (BA) and bone mineral density (BMD). FNGPs were calculated using the BMD and BA, which included the outer diameter (OD), cross-sectional area (CSA), cortical thickness (CT), endocortical diameter (ED), buckling ratio (BR), section modulus (SM), cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), and compression strength index (CSI). The data of FNGPs in Japanese females was collected from literature. These subjects were grouped by 10-year age. The mean and standard deviation of height, weight, BMI, femoral neck BMD, and FNGPs of each group were calculated. The model with the best goodness-of-fit was selected from various mathematical regression models to analyze the distribution trend and the best fitting curve of FNGPs with age. The differences in FNGPs between Chinese and Japanese females were analyzed by using age-corresponding mean fitting curve for paired t -test, and the relative change rates of FNGPs were compared., Results: The mean values of FNGPs were significantly different among different years old healthy females (all P <0.01). The mean values of OD, CSA, CT, SM, and CSMI in femoral neck were high at 30 to 39 years old, and then they were gradually decreased with age. The CSI reached its peak at 20-29 years old, and it was decreased gradually after 30 years old. ED and BR were at a low level before 40 years old, they were gradually increased after 40 years old, and reached the maximum average value at 80-86 years old. The variations in FNGPs with age were fitted with the best goodness-of-fit by applying the cubic regression model and the determination coefficients of regression equations ( R 2 : 0.062-0.404) were significant (all P <0.01). The distribution trend of FNGPs with age varied with the indices, among which CSA, CT, SM, CSMI and CSI were increased with age before 35 years old, and then they were decreased with age; BR was at a low level in the early stage, and then it was increased with age after about 40 years. There were significant differences in the fitting curves of FNGPs related to age between Chinese and Japanese females (all P <0.01). The fitting curves of OD, ED, BR and SM in Chinese females were significantly higher than those in Japanese females (all P <0.01), while those of CSA and CT in Chinese females were significantly lower than those in Japanese females (all P <0.01). Before the age of 50, the curves of CSMI and CSI of Chinese females were significantly higher than those of Japanese females (all P <0.01), while after the age of 60 the situation was reversed (all P <0.01). Except for SM and CSI, there were significant differences in the rate of OD, CSA, CT, ED, BR and CSMI with age (all P <0.01). By the age of 80 years old, the rates of change in OD, ED, and BR with the age in Chinese females were increased by 0.91%,3.94%, and 47.5%, respectively, while those in Japanese females were increased by 8.57%, 15.8% and 85.3%, respectively；the rates of change of CSA, CT, and CSMI with the age in Chinese females were declined 28.0%, 29.6%, and 25.2%, respectively, while those in Japanese females were declined 29.9%, 36.2%, and 10.9%, respectively. There were significant difference in the rates of change in FNGPs with the age between Chinese and Japanese females (all P <0.01)., Conclusions: The study reveals the variation of FNGPs with age in Chinese, and confirms that there are racial differences in FNGPs between Chinese and Japanese females, which may be one of the important reasons for the difference in the incidence of femoral neck fracture between Chinese and Japanese females.

Aim: To study the effects of ultra-early stage hyperbaric oxygenation on the hind limb bone mineral density in rats after complete spinal cord transection., Methods: 55 SD rats were randomly assigned into three groups: sham-operated group (Sham); complete spinal cord transection. (CSCT) group; and hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO2) group. Three hours after surgery, the HBO2 group started receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Bone mineral density (BMD) of total femur, total tibia and their subregions in vitro was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)., Results: After the six-week treatment, BMD of total femur, BMD in regions1-2 at the distal femur, BMD in regions 6-7 at the proximal femur and BMD in regions 1-2 at the proximal tibia in vitro were markedly decreased in CSCT group at six weeks post-operation compared with that in the sham-operated group (p < 0.05-0.01). Also, in the HBO2 group, BMD value of total femur in vitro was significantly higher than that in CSCT group (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Ultra-early stage hyperbaric oxygenation alleviates the hind limb bone loss in femur bone in rats following complete spinal cord transection.