Study on association of estrogen receptor α gene polymorphisms with bone mineral density in Chinese men

  Objective   To investigate the association of polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor A(ER-A)gene with bone mineral density(BMD)in Chinese men.

  Methods   The bone mineral density was measured at the lumbar spine and femur using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 339 study subjects.PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP)was applied to examine the Pvu Ⅱ and Xba Ⅰ polymorphisms of the ER-Agene.Generalized linear modelwas used to analysis the association of polymorphisms in two sites with the bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femur.

  Results   After adjustment for environmental covariates, signifwamt correlation was found between XX genotype of the ER-A gene and higher BMD of Femoral shaft and Ward triangle, had reached statistically significant(P=0.004 and P=0.036, respectively); A tendency of higher BMD at femoral shaft with Pp genotype population was observed, but not reached statistically significant(P=0.064).Haplotype XP tended to be associated with higher BMD of femoral shaft, but not reached statisligally significant(P=0.053).

  Conclusion   There is significant relationship between XbaⅠ polymorphisms of ER-α gene and femur BMD in Chinese men.The correlation between polymorphism of PvuⅡ site and haplotype XP with BMD of femur are needed study at larger samples.