Title:VNTR Variant of the eNOS Gene and its Relationship with Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Turkish Women
Volume: 21
Issue: 9
Author(s): Ayse F. Nursal*, Serbulent Yigit, Akin Tekcan, Asker Z. Ozsoy and Haci O. Ates
Affiliation:
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Hitit University, Corum,Turkey
Keywords:
Osteoporosis, nitric oxide, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, VNTR, variant, PCR.
Abstract:
Background: Osteoporosis (OP) is the most common type of systemic bone disease
characterized by low bone mass and micro-structure deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent
increase in bone fragility and fracture risk. Nitric oxide (NO), produced by the enzyme endothelial
nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in endothelial cells, has considerable effects on bone cell function.
The objective of this case-control study was to investigate the potential association between the
eNOS gene Variable Number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) variant and susceptibility of OP, in Turkish
postmenopausal female patients.
Methods: One hundred and fifty female patients and 100 age-matched healthy females were enrolled
in the present study. The eNOS gene VNTR variant was genotyped with a polymerase chain
reaction (PCR) method. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess
the strength of the association.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 60.32±8.65 years. It was found that the eNOS VNTR
variant genotype and allele frequencies were not significantly different between the patient and control
groups (p>0.05).
