Objective. To demonstrate the role of Wnt/β-catenin canonical pathway in postmenopausal osteoporosis by evaluating serumβ-catenin levels in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and analyzing their possible relationship with serum OPG, RANKL, the ratio of RANKL/OPG, sclerostin, and bone turnover markers.Methods. 480 patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis and 170 healthy postmenopausal women were enrolled in the study. Serumβ-catenin, OPG, RANKL, and sclerostin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Bone status was assessed by measuring bone mineral density and bone turnover markers. Estradiol levels were also detected.Results. Serumβ-catenin levels were lower in postmenopausal osteoporotic women compared to nonosteoporotic postmenopausal women (26.26±14.81versus39.33±5.47 pg/mL,P<0.001). Serumβ-catenin was positively correlated with osteoprotegerin (r=0.232,P<0.001) and negatively correlated with the ratio of RANKL/OPG, body mass index, and sclerostin (r=-0.128,P=0.005;r=-0.117,P=0.010;r=-0.400,P<0.001, resp.) in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.Conclusion. The results indicate that lower serumβ-catenin and concomitantly higher ratio of RANKL/OPG may be involved in the pathogenesis of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Functional communication between RANKL/RANK/OPG system and Wnt pathways plays an important role in postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Role of the Active Vitamin D Metabolite and 1α-Hydroxylated Analogs in the Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
