ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche 2014 May;173(5):309-16

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

C298T polymorphism in the osteocalcin gene and an association with calcaneal quantitative ultrasound in Korean vegetarian men

Kim H. ¹, Lee J. ²

¹ Department of Health Promotion and Exercise, Daegu University, Kyungsan-City, Korea; ² Department of Leisure and Sports, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Korea

AIM: Both genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the development of osteoporosis. Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the bone offers a convenient and low-cost method to predict the risk of osteoporosis. The objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between C298T polymorphism in the osteocalcin gene and calcaneal QUS parameters in Korean non-vegetarian and vegetarian men.
METHODS AND RESULTS: For measurement of calcaneal QUS parameters, broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), sound of speed (SOS) and stiffness index of calcaneus were determined using an ultrasound bone densitometer in 219 Korean men (age: mean ± SD; 51.1±11.7 year), and C298T polymorphism in the osteocalcin gene was analyzed by PCR-HindIII RFLP method. The frequencies of CC, CT and TT genotypes in all the subjects were found to be 16.0%, 28.3% and 55.7%, respectively. No significant differences were obtained in the genotype and allele frequencies of this polymorphism between two subgroups of non-vegetarian and vegetarian men in our study. However, we observed a significant association between C298T polymorphism and calcaneal QUS parameters such as SOS and stiffness index in only the non-vegetarian subgroup (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Overall, the results of this study suggest that C298T polymorphism in the osteocalcin gene may contribute to the inter-individual variations in bone quality in only the Korean non-vegetarian subgroup, but this association is offset also in vegetarian subgroup with low-calcium diet.