Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms and the risk of low bone mass in type 1 diabetic patients

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration with increased susceptibility to fracture. Osteoporosis has a complex etiology and is considered to be a multifactorial polygenic disease. Low bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk are associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D). There are more than 150 genes associated with bone mineral density. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms have been suggested to be associated with the diabetic complications. Our aim was to investigate the frequency of occurrence of vitamin D receptor (VDR)-(FokI, BsmI, ApaI, TaqI)-single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in type 1 diabetic patients.