Increase in circulating sclerostin at the early stage of menopausal transition in Japanese women.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the change in circulating sclerostin level during the menopausal transition and we investigated the associations of sclerositin with hormones and bone turnover markers according to each menopausal stage in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 200 healthy Japanese women and divided them into 4 stages (reproductive, menopausal transition, early postmenopause and late postmenopause) by menstrual regularity, follicle-stimulating hormone level and years since menopause. Serum levels of sclerostin, bone turnover markers and reproductive hormones were measured. In addition, we examined changes in sclerostin level from the reproductive stage to menopausal transition and from menopausal transition to early postmenopause in a longitudinal study.

RESULTS

In the cross-sectional study, sclerostin level gradually increased with progression of menopausal stages and showed a significant change during the menopausal transition. Sclerostin levels significantly increased from the reproductive stage to menopausal transition and from menopausal transition to early postmenopause in the longitudinal study. A negative correlation of sclerostin with estradiol was found in early postmenopause. Sclerostin levels were negatively correlated with bone-specific alkaline phosphatase levels in the reproductive stage and menopausal transition and with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b in menopausal transition.

CONCLUSION

The change in sclerostin has already occurred in the early stage of menopausal transition and sclerostin level increases with progression of menopausal stages. Elevated sclerostin levels during the menopausal transition may be involved in relative decline in bone formation against increase in bone resorption.