Variations in the vitamin D receptor gene are not associated with measures of muscle strength, physical performance, or falls in elderly men. Data from MrOS Sweden

A Björk; E Ribom; G Johansson; R Scragg; D Mellström; E Grundberg; C Ohlsson; M Karlsson; Ö Ljunggren; A Kindmark

doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.11.014

Variations in the vitamin D receptor gene are not associated with measures of muscle strength, physical performance, or falls in elderly men. Data from MrOS Sweden

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2019 Mar:187:160-165. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.11.014. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

Authors

A Björk¹, E Ribom², G Johansson³, R Scragg⁴, D Mellström⁵, E Grundberg⁶, C Ohlsson⁷, M Karlsson⁸, Ö Ljunggren⁹, A Kindmark⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Sciences, Endocrinology and Mineral Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
³ Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
⁴ Section of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁵ Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical, Nutrition, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁶ Department of Human Genetics, McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
⁷ Center for Bone and Arthritis Research at the Sahlgrenska Academy, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁸ Department of Clinical Sciences and Orthopedic Surgery, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden.
⁹ Department of Medical Sciences, Endocrinology and Mineral Metabolism, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

PMID: 30476589
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2018.11.014

Abstract

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) has been proposed as a candidate gene for several musculoskeletal phenotypes. However, previous results on the associations between genetic variants of the VDR with muscle strength and falls have been contradictory. The MrOS Sweden survey, a prospective population-based cohort study of 3014 elderly men (mean age 75 years, range 69-81) offered the opportunity to further investigate these associations. At baseline, data were collected on muscle strength and also the prevalence of falls during the previous 12 months. Genetic association analysis was performed for 7 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), covering the genetic region surrounding the VDR gene in 2924 men with available samples of DNA. Genetic variations in the VDR were not associated with five different measurements of muscle strength or physical performance (hand grip strength right and left, 6 m walking test (easy and narrow) and timed-stands test). However, one of the 7 SNPs of the gene for the VDR receptor, rs7136534, was associated with prevalence of falls (33.6% of the AA, 14.6% of the AG and 16.5% of the GG allele). In conclusion, VDR genetic variants are not related to muscle strength or physical performance in elderly Swedish men. The role of the rs7136534 SNP for the occurrence of falls is not clear.

Keywords: Falls; Muscle strength; Physical performance; Polymorphisms; Vitamin D receptor gene.

Publication types

Multicenter Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Accidental Falls*
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Exercise
Hand Strength*
Humans
Male
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide*
Prospective Studies
Receptors, Calcitriol / genetics*
Sweden
Walking

Substances

Receptors, Calcitriol
VDR protein, human