New Genetic Forms of Childhood-Onset Primary Osteoporosis

• Recent developments in genetic technology have given us the opportunity to look at diseases in a new and more detailed way. This Mini Review discusses monogenetic forms of childhood-onset primary osteoporosis, with the main focus on osteoporosis caused by mutations in <i>WNT1</i> and <i>PLS3,</i> two of the most recently discovered genes underlying early-onset osteoporosis. The importance of <i>WNT1 </i>in the accrual and maintenance of bone mass through activation of canonical WNT signaling was recognized in 2013. WNT1 was shown to be a key ligand for the WNT-signaling pathway, which is of major importance in the regulation of bone formation. More recently, mutations in <i>PLS3, </i>located on the X chromosome, were shown to be the cause of X-linked childhood-onset primary osteoporosis affecting mainly males. The function of <i>PLS3</i> in bone metabolism is still not completely understood, but it has been speculated to have an important role in mechanosensing by osteocytes and in matrix mineralization. In this new era of genetics, our knowledge on genetic causes of childhood-onset osteoporosis expands constantly. These discoveries bring new possibilities, but also new challenges. Guidelines are needed to implement this new genetic knowledge to clinical patient care and to guide genetic investigations in affected families.

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