Role of Wnt/β-catenin and RANKL/OPG in bone healing of diabetic Charcot arthropathy patients.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Charcot neuropathy is characterized by bone destruction in a foot leading to deformity, instability, and risk of amputation. Little is known about the pathogenic mechanisms. We hypothesized that the bone-regulating Wnt/β-catenin and RANKL/OPG pathways have a role in Charcot arthropathy.

Patients and methods

24 consecutive Charcot patients were treated by off-loading, and monitored for 2 years by repeated foot radiography, MRI, and circulating levels of sclerostin, dickkopf-1, Wnt inhibitory factor-1, Wnt ligand-1, OPG, and RANKL. 20 neuropathic diabetic controls and 20 healthy controls served as the reference.

Results

Levels of sclerostin, Dkk-1 and Wnt-1, but not of Wif-1, were significantly lower in Charcot patients than in the diabetic contro

SUBMITTER: Folestad A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4513595 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature