Mineral metabolism in chronic kidney disease

Relationship between bone turnover markers and renal disease in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and bone metabolism disorders increase with age. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most serious microvascular complications of T2DM, and bone metabolism disorders are closely linked to the occurrence of DKD. The relationship between bone turnover markers(BTMs) and the kidney disease in elderly patients with T2DM remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between common BTMs and DKD in a large sample of elderly patients. The goal is to provide a basis for early identification of high-risk individuals for DKD among elderly T2DM patients from a bone metabolism perspective.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, BTMs were collected from a cohort of 2,051 hospitalized Chinese patients. The relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D), β-CrossLaps (β-CTX), osteocalcin (OSTEOC), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), and total type I collagen N-terminal propeptide (TP1NP), and DKD, as well as urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were analyzed using regression analysis and restrictive cubic spline (RCS) curves.

RESULTS

Higher 25-OH-D levels were independently linked to a lower incidence of DKD and decreased UACR. The RCS curves showed a linear association of 25-OH-D and DKD, approaching the L-shape. β-CTX was independently and positively correlated with UACR. There is an independent positive correlation between OSTEOC and UACR and a negative correlation with eGFR. iPTH is independently and positively correlated with DKD incidence and UACR, and negatively correlated with eGFR. Additionally, the RCS curves showed a non-linear association of OSTEOC and iPTH and DKD, approaching the J-shape, and the point of inflection is 10.875 ng/L and 34.15 pg/mL respectively. There is an independent positive correlation between TP1NP and UACR incidence, and a negative correlation with eGFR. Risk estimates significantly increase with higher TP1NP levels in the RCS model.

CONCLUSION

BTMs are closely associated with kidney disease in elderly patients with T2DM. These discoveries potentially assist clinicians in establishing more preventive measures and targeted treatment strategies for elderly patients with T2DM.

Correlation Between Serum miR-154-5p and Osteocalcin in Males and Postmenopausal Females of Type 2 Diabetes With Different Urinary Albumin Creatinine Ratios

Purpose: To investigate the serum levels of miR-154-5p, osteocalcin (OC), and other clinical parameters in male and post-menopausal female type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with different urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) levels and to discuss the relationship between miR-154-5p and glycolipid metabolism, bone metabolism, and different urinary albumin excretion rate in T2DM. Methods: Seven hundred thirty-eight T2DM patients were categorized into six groups, including 374 men and 364 post-menopausal women who were sub-divided into three groups based on albumin excretion that involved normal albuminuria, microalbuminuria, and large amount of albuminuria (138, 127, 109, 135, 125, and 104 cases, UACR<30, 30-300, and >300 mg/g, M1, M2, M3, F1, F2, and F3). Measurement of circulating miR-154-5p, OC, and other biochemical indicators were performed by real-time PCR, ELISA, and chemiluminescence assays in T2DM patients and in 141 M0 and 139 F0 control subjects. Results: There are few differences appeared between groups. Comparing with men, women had higher age, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), adiponectin (ADPN), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), UACR, procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), β-C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTx), OC, and miR-154-5p, but lower FPG, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c. T2DM patients with albuminuria (micro or macro) had lower bone turnover markers (P1NP, β-CTx, and OC) and adiponectin, but higher HbA1c, CTGF, and miR-154-5p. In addition, after regression analysis, UACR was positively correlated with CTGF, HbA1c, and miR-154-5p, and negatively correlated with ADPN and bone turnover markers (P1NP, β-CTx, and OC). However, OC showed a positive correlation with ADPN and other bone turnover markers (P1NP and β-CTx), but negative correlation with CTGF, UACR, and miR-154-5p in all three groups. Conclusion: These findings suggested that increased serum levels of miR-154-5p and decreased OC levels may influence osteogenesis and proteinuria in T2DM and may identify novel targets for diagnosis and treatment of diabetic kidney disease and osteoporosis.

High calcium diet alleviates 5/6 nephrectomy-induced bone deteriorations of lumbar vertebrae in mice

Dietary calcium (Ca) supplementation has beneficial effects on bone health. However, it is not clear whether a high calcium diet (HCD) following 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6 Nx) is beneficial to bone health. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of an HCD on bone metabolism using a chronic kidney disease (CKD) mouse model. Male C57BL/6J mice were divided into three groups: Sham group, 5/6 Nx group and 5/6 Nx + HCD group. Mice were sacrificed 12 weeks post-surgery. Calcium (Ca) and creatinine (Cr) were measured using standard colorimetric methods and picric acid methods, respectively. Bone metabolism-associated markers, FGF-23, PTH, ALP-b and TRAP-5b were measured using ELISA kits. Lumbar vertebrae histomorphological analysis was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) mRNA was detected using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Impaired renal function and histopathological damage was indicated in 5/6 Nx mice. However, HCD had no significant effects on these changes in 5/6 Nx mice. Notably, mineral metabolism disorder and histopathological damage to lumbar vertebrae were markedly improved in HCD-treated 5/6 Nx mice. Compared with 5/6 Nx mice, HCD supplementation significantly elevated the ratio of OPG/RANKL and inhibited RANKL mRNA expression in lumbar vertebrae. To conclude, the present findings indicated that increased Ca intake is effective in increasing bone mineral content of the lumbar vertebrae in 5/6 Nx mice. These results may provide a basis for the clinical use of dietary Ca supplementation as a therapeutic approach to treat CKD-induced disturbance of mineral metabolism and bone loss.

Klotho preservation via histone deacetylase inhibition attenuates chronic kidney disease-associated bone injury in mice

Bone loss and increased fracture are the devastating outcomes of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) resulting from Klotho deficit-related mineral disturbance and hyperparathyroidism. Because Klotho down-regulation after renal injury is presumably affected by aberrant histone deacetylase (HDAC) activities, here we assess whether HDAC inhibition prevents Klotho loss and attenuates the CKD-associated bone complication in a mouse model of CKD-MBD. Mice fed adenine-containing diet developed the expected renal damage, a substantial Klotho loss and the deregulated key factors causally affecting bone remodeling, which were accompanied by a marked reduction of bone mineral density. Intriguingly, administration of a potent HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) impressively alleviated the Klotho deficit and the observed alterations of serum, kidney and bone. TSA prevented Klotho loss by increasing the promoter-associated histone acetylation, therefore increasing Klotho transcription. More importantly the mice lacking Klotho by siRNA interference largely abolished the TSA protections against the serum and renal abnormalities, and the deranged bone micro-architectures. Thus, our study identified Klotho loss as a key event linking HDAC deregulation to the renal and bone injuries in CKD-MBD mice and demonstrated the therapeutic potentials of endogenous Klotho restoration by HDAC inhibition in treating CKD and the associated extrarenal complications.

Uremic Leontiasis Ossea in a Patient With Chronic Renal Insufficiency Demonstrated on Bone Scintigraphy

A 37-year-old woman with chronic renal insufficiency underwent bone scintigraphy to evaluate renal osteodystrophy (ROD). Markedly increased uptakes were shown in the maxilla and the mandible, which suggested extensive maxillary and mandibular hypertrophy. CT image revealed that diffuse bony thickening and ground-glass appearance in the skull, maxilla, and mandible with poor distinction of the corticomedullary junction. Whole-body bone scintigraphy images also demonstrated various skeletal characteristics of ROD. This case emphasizes the utility of bone scintigraphy for the surveillance of the whole body in ROD.