Miscellaneous Bone Disorders

Sclerosing bone dysplasias

The group of sclerosing bone dysplasia's is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of rare bone disorders which, according to the latest Nosology and classification of genetic skeletal disorders (2015), can be subdivided in three subgroups; the neonatal osteosclerotic dysplasias, the osteopetroses and related disorders and the other sclerosing bone disorders. Here, we give an overview of the most important radiographic and clinical symptoms, the underlying genetic defect and potential treatment options of the different sclerosing dysplasias included in these subgroups.

Human Genetics of Sclerosing Bone Disorders

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The group of sclerosing bone disorders encompasses a variety of disorders all marked by increased bone mass. In this review, we give an overview of the genetic causes of this heterogeneous group of disorders and briefly touch upon the value of these findings for the development of novel therapeutic agents.

RECENT FINDINGS

Advances in the next-generation sequencing technologies are accelerating the molecular dissection of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying skeletal dysplasias. Throughout the years, the genetic cause of these disorders has been extensively studied which resulted in the identification of a variety of disease-causing genes and pathways that are involved in bone formation by osteoblasts, bone resorption by osteoclasts, or both processes. Due to this rapidly increasing knowledge, the insights into the regulatory mechanisms of bone metabolism are continuously improving resulting in the identification of novel therapeutic targets for disorders with reduced bone mass and increased bone fragility.