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Association of serum osteocalcin with bone microarchitecture and muscle mass in Beijing community-dwelling postmenopausal women

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Abstract

Background

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease with increasing bone fragility and prone to fracture. Osteocalcin (OC), as the most abundant non collagen in bone matrix, has been extensively used in clinic as a biochemical marker of osteogenesis. Two forms of OC were stated on circulation, including carboxylated osteocalcin (cOC) and undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC). OC was not only involved in bone mineralization, but also in the regulation of muscle function.

Objective

This study explored the relationship between serum OC, cOC, ucOC levels and bone mineral density (BMD), bone microarchitecture, muscle mass and physical activity in Chinese postmenopausal women.

Method

216 community-dwelling postmenopausal women were randomized enrolled. All subjects completed biochemical measurements, including serum β-isomer of C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen (β-CTX), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), OC, cOC and ucOC. They completed X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to measure BMD, appendicular lean mass (ALM) and trabecular bone score (TBS). They completed high resolution peripheral quantitative CT (HR-pQCT) to assess peripheral bone microarchitectures.

Results

Serum OC, cOC and ucOC were elevated in osteoporosis postmenopausal women. In bone geometry, serum ucOC was positively related with total bone area (Tt.Ar) and trabecular area(Tb.Ar). In bone volumetric density, serum OC and ucOC were negatively associated with total volume bone mineral density (Tt.vBMD) and trabecular volume bone mineral density (Tb.vBMD). In bone microarchitecture, serum OC and ucOC were negatively correlative with Tb.N and Tb.BV/TV, and were positively correlated with Tb.Sp. Serum OC and ucOC were positively associated with Tb.1/N.SD. Serum OC was negatively related with Tb.Th. Serum ucOC was positively associated with ALM. The high level of serum OC was the risk factor of osteoporosis. ALM was the protective factor for osteoporosis.

Conclusion

All forms of serum OC were negatively associated with BMD. Serum OC and ucOC mainly influenced microstructure of trabecular bone in peripheral skeletons. Serum ucOC participated in modulating both bone microstructure and muscle mass.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all of the participants in this study. Special thanks to the generous support from Merck Sharp & Dohme China, Shanghai, China.

Funding

This study was supported by the National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (2022-PUMCH-B-014, 2022-PUMCH-D-004), CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences (CIFMS)2021-I2M-1-002, National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFC2501700), Bethune Charitable Foundation Funding (G-X-2019-1107-1), Beijing Natural Science Foundation (7232120).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, National Health Commission, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, 100730, Beijing, China

    Shuying Liu, Qianqian Pang, Fan Yu, Ou Wang, Mei Li, Xiaoping Xing, Yan Jiang & Weibo Xia

  2. Department of Radiology, Key Laboratory of Endocrinology, National Health Commission, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, 100730, Beijing, China

    Wenmin Guan & Wei Yu

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  1. Shuying Liu
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Liu, S., Pang, Q., Guan, W. et al. Association of serum osteocalcin with bone microarchitecture and muscle mass in Beijing community-dwelling postmenopausal women. Endocrine 84, 236–244 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-023-03668-1

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