Bone Abstracts

Objectives: Murine studies have shown that iron deficiency during pregnancy can cause abnormal phosphate and bone metabolism in offspring by elevating concentrations of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23). FGF23 exists in plasma as an intact phosphate- and vitamin D-regulating hormone and its C-terminal fragment, a cleavage product that possibly antagonises the intact hormone. These findings are pertinent to low-income countries, where the prevalence of iron deficiency in preg...

Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) is a bone derived phosphate-regulating hormone which is elevated in hypophosphataemic rickets. Recent findings demonstrate iron deficiency as a potential mediator of FGF23 expression and murine studies have shown in utero effects of maternal iron deficiency leading to increased FGF23 concentration and disordered bone development (Clinkenbeard. JBMR 2013). Children with rickets in rural Gambia, West Africa, have high prevalences of i...