Association between vitamin D receptor gene haplotypes and bone mass in postmenopausal Korean women

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene haplotypes on bone mineral density (BMD). The VDR Bsm I, Apa I, Taq I, and poly(A) polymorphisms were analyzed in 417 postmenopausal Korean women. Serum 1,25(OH) 2 vitamin D 3, osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase, and CrossLaps were measured by immunoradiometric assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. BMD at the lumbar spine and proximal femur was determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. At all skeletal sites, genotypes not carrying the baTL haplotype allele (uppercase letters signifying the absence, lowercase letters the presence, of the restriction site, and L a repeat length of more than 17) had significantly lower BMD than baTL homozygotes. The former genotypes were more prevalent in women with low bone mass than in healthy women. No significant differences in vitamin D 3 or bone markers levels were noted among the baTL haplotype genotypes. The VDR baTL haplotype allele is related to bone mass in Korean women.