Osteoporosis Risk Linked to Variants of BMP2 Gene

Researchers have reported that they have accumulated considerable evidence that points to genetic variations of the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) gene as risk factors for osteoporosis.

Investigators at Decode Genetics (Reykjavik, Iceland) collected blood samples from over 1,000 volunteer patients across the country with low bone density or osteoporotic fractures, and used the company's population genealogy database to group them into hundreds of families with multiple patients.

Using high-density DNA genotyping, they identified a region containing the BMP2 gene on chromosome 20 that was shared by patients within the families. More...