Investigation of the relation between bone mass density and serum preptin levels in pre- and postmenopausal women

Preptin is a peptide hormone co-secreted with insulin and amylin from pancreatic β cells. It has been demonstrated to have osteogenic effects both in vitro and in vivo. In the present study, serum preptin levels were measured in pre- and postmenopausal women with similar body mass indexes (BMIs) to elucidate its link with bone mineral density (BMD). Sixty women (30 premenopausal and 30 postmenopausal) with low bone mineral density were studied. The BMD scores, serum preptin levels and serum estradiol levels were measured. The correlation between serum preptin and estradiol levels with BMD was assessed. Serum preptin and estradiol levels were significantly lower in the postmenopausal women than the premenopausal subjects [2102.27 ± 918.66 vs. 2667.30 ± 940.41 ng/L (P < 0.05) and 39.32 ± 31.74 vs. 99.24 ± 49.24 pg/ml (P < 0.001), respectively]. The serum preptin levels had weak positive (albeit statistically significant) correlations with estradiol (r = 0.271, P = 0.036), femur neck BMD (r = 0.233, P = 0.035) and total hip BMD (r = 0.287, P = 0.031), but no correlation was observed between serum preptin levels and L1–4 lumbar spine BMD (r = 0.136, P = 0.474). The findings of the present study suggest that serum preptin levels in women decrease after menopause and have a positive correlation with estradiol, femoral and total hip BMDs.