Sex-Specific and Non-Sex-Specific Quantitative Trait Loci Contribute to Normal Variation in Bone Mineral Density in Men

Abstract

This study demonstrates that BMD in healthy men is highly heritable with similar estimates of the genetic contribution to BMD in both whites and blacks. Of the six QTL identified, three were specific for spine BMD and three were specific for hip BMD. When compared with published QTL for peak BMD in women from the same geographical region, four of the QTL appeared to be male specific. The occurrence of sex-specific genes in humans for BMD has potentially important implications for the pathogenesis and treatment of osteoporosis.