Relationship Between Osteoporosis and Serum Sclerostin Levels in Kidney Transplant Recipients

• Published in: Experimental and clinical transplantation Vol. 22; no. 7; p. 514
• Main Authors: Basir, Hasan, Altunoren, Orcun, Erken, Ertugrul, Kilinc, Metin, Sarisik, Feyza Nur, Isiktas, Songul, Gungor, Ozkan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkey 01-07-2024
• Subjects: Absorptiometry, Photon; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing - blood; Adult; Biomarkers - blood; Bone Density; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Genetic Markers; Humans; Kidney Transplantation - adverse effects; Lumbar Vertebrae; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis - blood; Osteoporosis - diagnosis; Osteoporosis - etiology; Parathyroid Hormone - blood; Risk Factors; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1304-0855; 2146-8427
• DOI: 10.6002/ect.2019.0022

Sclerostin, a peptide secreted primarily by osteocytes, suppresses osteoblast maturation, thus reducing bone formation. Here, we evaluated the relationship between sclerostin levels and osteoporosis in kidney transplant recipients.
This cross-sectional study included 78 kidney transplantrecipients > 18 years old and at least 6 months posttransplant. In our center, unrelated living-donor kidney transplants are not performed. Patients with parathyroid adenoma or parathyroidectomy history were excluded. Lumbar and femoral neck bone mineral densities andT and Z scores were obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; results were used to divide patients into osteoporotic and nonosteoporotic groups. Serum sclerostin was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Of total patients, 43% had osteoporosis, mean age was 40.8 years, and 70% were male. Groups had similar ages, male-female distribution, time posttransplant, cumulative corticosteroid dose, estimated glomerular filtration rates, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 levels (P > .05). The osteoporotic group had lower sclerostin (405.9 ± 234.9 vs 521.7 ± 233.5 ng/dL; P = .035) and higherintact parathyroid hormone levels (110.9 ± 68.0 vs 84.8 ± 41.4 pg/mL; P = .04) than the nonosteoporotic group. Sclerostin levels were not correlated with cumulative corticosteroid dose, intact parathyroid hormone, bone mineral density, and T scores at any site but were weakly negatively correlated with age (P = .04, r = -0.25). In multiple regression analyses, only intact parathyroid hormone had negative effects on lumbar bone mineral density (P = .02) andT scores (P = .036). Serum sclerostin levels, age, and cumulative corticosteroid dose did not affect lumbar or hip bone mineral density and T scores (P > .05).
Sclerostin levels were low in our osteoporotic patients;therefore, sclerostin may not be a contributing factor to osteoporosis development. Because sclerostin is an osteocyte-derived peptide, its serum levels only reflect total osteocyte number and bone mass.