ESTROGEN RECEPTOR GENE POLYMORPHISMS AS MARKERS FOR DETERMINING A PREDISPOSITION FOR LOW BONE DENSITY

摘要

The invention relates to a method of determining genetic predisposition to low or high bone mineral density of a patient, wherein low beone density is indicative of a predisposition to esteoporosis, esteopenia or bone fracture and high bone density is indicative of resistance to osteoporosis, osteopenia or bone fracture. The invention further relates to a marker at the estrogen receptor or equivalents thereof to prognose a response to esteoporosis therapy. As well, the invention relates to a method for determining osteoporosis susceptibility, prognosis and response to therapy based on a determination of the combination of the genotype at the estrogen receptor or at markers in linkage disequilibrium therewith, alone or together with other parameters such as age, or a therapeutic regimen. The invention further relates to screening assays to identify and select agents which can be used in the treatment of osteoporosis.