Association of otosclerosis with Sp1 binding site polymorphism in COL1A1 gene: evidence for a shared genetic etiology with osteoporosis.

HYPOTHESIS: There is an association between otosclerosis and osteoporosis.

BACKGROUND

Both osteoporosis and otosclerosis are common bone diseases to which relatively large portions of the population are genetically predisposed. Recently, a strong association has been described between osteoporosis and an Sp1 binding site of putative functional significance in the first intron of the COL1A1 gene.

METHODS

We applied polymerase chain reaction-based restriction enzyme analysis to determine the polymorphic distribution of the Sp1 site in 100 patients with otosclerosis and 108 control subjects.

RESULTS

This study showed a significant association between otosclerosis and the COL1A1 first intron Sp1 site. The allelic frequency of the Sp1 site is very similar between otosclerosis and osteoporosis.

CONCLUSION

Some cases of otosclerosis and osteoporosis could share a functionally significant polymorphism in the Sp1 transcription factor binding site in the first intron of the COL1A1 gene.