Bone Abstracts

Introduction: Osteoporosis is a common complication in patients with chronic cholestasis, usually characterized by reduced bone formation. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves differentiation and mineralization and counteracts the damaging effects of bilirubin and lithocholic acid (LCA) in osteoblastic cells. Moreover, UDCA decreases apoptosis in a number of cell lines, but this antiapoptotic effect has not been investigated in bone cells.Aims: To assess...

Low bone formation is considered to be the main feature in osteoporosis associated with cholestatic and end-stage liver diseases. Previous studies have demonstrated the deleterious consequences of retained substances such as lithocholic acid (LCA) and bilirubin (Bil) on osteoblastic cells. These effects are neutralized by ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). To gain new insights into cholestatic-induced osteoporosis, we have assessed the differential gene expression of osteoblastic ce...

Background and aims: Low bone formation is the main pathogenic mechanism of osteoporosis in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Sclerostin, an inhibitor of the Wnt pathway, is involved in the regulation of osteoblastogenesis and little is known about its role in the development of bone disease in PBC. Thus, we evaluated the circulating levels of sclerostin and its relationship to bone mass, the parameters of mineral metabolism and liver disease severity.Met...