Gene expression study of blood monocytes in pre- and postmenopausal females with low or high bone mineral density (HG-U133A)

Comparison of circulating monocytes from pre- and postmanopausal females with low or high bone mineral density (BMD). Circulating monocytes are progenitors of osteoclasts, and produce factors important to bone metabolism. Results provide insight into the role of monocytes in osteoporosis. We identify osteoporosis genes by microarray analyses of monocytes in high vs. low hip BMD (bone mineral density) subjects. Microarray analyses of monocytes were performed using Affymetrix HG-133A arrays in 80 Caucasian females, including 40 high (20 pre- and 20 postmanopausal) and 40 low hip BMD (20 pre- and 20 postmanopausal) subjects