Aromatase gene and osteoporosis: relationship of ten polymorphic loci with bone mineral density

Aromatase activity appears to be important for bone homeostasis in postmenopausal women. In fact, therapy with aromatase inhibitors is associated with bone loss and fractures. A common biallelic A/G polymorphism in the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of CYP19-aromatase gene has been associated with differences in gene transcription and the risk of estrogen-responsive tumors. We explored the relationship of such a polymorphism and other 9 polymorphisms situated within or near CYP19 gene with bone mass. The study group comprised 286 postmenopausal women. DNA was isolated from peripheral blood. Biallelic and insertion/deletion polymorphisms were analyzed with exonuclease assays using TaqMan probes. A microsatellite polymorphism in intron 4 was studied by capillary electrophoresis. Bone mineral density (BMD) was determined by DXA. In this cross-sectional study, the postmenopausal decrease in bone mass appeared to be slower in women with AA genotype in the 3′UTR, than in those with AG or GG genotypes. Consequently, there were significant genotype-related differences in BMD. In women after age of 60, hip T-scores were: AA −1.3 ± 0.1, AG −1.3 ± 0.2, GG −1.9 ± 0.1 (P = 0.002). Lumbar spine T-scores were: AA −1.9 ± 10.2, AG −2.2 ± 0.1, GG −3.0 ± 0.2 (P = 0.001). Moreover, GG genotype showed a trend for lower free estrogen levels. This polymorphism was strongly linked to a tetranucleotide repeat in intron 4, as well as to other biallelic polymorphisms situated between 3′UTR and I.2 promoter regions. They all were associated with BMD. However, biallelic polymorphisms in the extreme 5′ region of CYP19 and two polymorphisms in neighbor genes were not associated with BMD. In conclusion, common variations of CYP19-aromatase are associated with differences in BMD that seem to be important from an individual as well as from a population perspective.