Identification of gender-specific candidate genes that influence bone microarchitecture in chromosome 1

Studies on the identification of the genetic basis for sexual dimorphism in peak bone mass are obviously important for providing novel therapeutic approaches to prevent or treat metabolic bone diseases. Our goal in this study was to identify the bone microstructure that could lead to differences in volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and new candidate genes that regulate the gender effect on bone. We used a congenic line of mice that carry the BMD1-4 locus from CAST/EiJ (CAST) mice in a C57BL/6J (B6) background and show greater vBMD in female, but not male, congenics compared to age- and gender-matched B6 mice. To assess the vBMD variations between the two lines of mice, we performed μCT measurements and found no difference in cortical bone volume by tissue volume (BV/TV) between congenics and B6 mice. However, trabecular BV/TV was significantly greater in female, but not male, congenics compared to corresponding B6 mice, which was due to increased trabecular thickness but not reduced trabecular separation, suggesting that bone formation, but not bone resorption, is responsible for the trabecular bone phenotype observed in the female, but not male, congenics. To identify the gender candidate genes, we determined the polymorphisms between B6 and CAST within the BMD1-4 locus and performed gene expression profiling. We identified EF-hand calcium binding domain (Efcab2), consortin, connexin sorting protein (Cnst), and presenilin 2 (Psen2) as potential candidate genes that regulate bone mass by influencing trabecular thickness in a gender-specific manner.