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Palmieri M, Maraka S, Spencer HJ, Thostenson JD, Dishongh K, Knox M, Ussery B, Byrd J, Kuipers JK, Abedzadeh-Anaraki S, Duvoor C, Mao Y, Menon L, Williams JS, Manolagas SC, Jilka RL, Ambrogini E. Plasma levels of anti phosphocholine IgM antibodies are negatively correlated with bone mineral density in humans. Scientific reports. 2025 Jan 15; 15(1):2109.
Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects. Phosphatidylcholine is a ubiquitous phospholipid. It contains a phosphocholine (PC) headgroup and polyunsaturated fatty acids that, when oxidized, form reactive oxidized phospholipids (PC-OxPLs). PC-OxPLs are pathogenic in multiple diseases and neutralized by anti-PC IgM antibodies. The levels of anti-PC IgM increase as the levels of PC-OxPLs increase and, in humans, are inversely correlated with the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and steatohepatitis. PC-OxPLs also decrease bone mass in mice. Overexpression of anti-PC IgM ameliorates atherosclerosis and steatohepatitis, increases bone mass in young mice, and protects against high fat diet- and age-associated osteoporosis. We investigated the relationship between anti-PC IgM plasma levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in a cross-sectional study of 247 participants [mean age: 65.5 (±?8.6) years] without medical conditions known to influence BMD or antibody production. Anti-PC IgM levels negatively correlated with both T- and Z-scores at the lumbar spine, femur and, to a lesser extent, the forearm. These correlations were maintained after adjustment for age, race, and sex. These results raise the possibility that higher levels of anti-PC IgM in patients with lower BMD reflect exposure to higher levels of PC-OxPLs, which are known to affect bone mass, and could be a novel risk marker for osteoporosis.
