Associations between polymorphisms related to calcium metabolism and human height: the Tromsø Study

A number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) related to height have been detected. Calcium metabolism is important for the skeleton and accordingly also for adult height. Therefore, in the present study, nine SNPs related to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), calcium, phosphate and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were related to height in 9471 subjects. Relation with height was evaluated with linear regression for trend across SNP genotypes with age and gender as covariates. After correcting for multiple testing, significant associations with height were found for two SNPs related to the VDR gene (rs1544410 (Bsml) and rs7975232 (Apal)), one SNP related to serum 25(OH)D (rs3829251 at the DHCR7/NADSYN1 gene), one SNP related to serum calcium (rs1459015 at the PTH gene) and one SNP related to serum phosphate (rs1697421 at the ALPL gene). For rs3829251, the mean differences in height between major and minor homozygotes were 1.5-2.0 cm (P < 0.01) and were seen in both genders and all age groups tested, whereas for the other SNPs, the differences were less than 1 cm. In conclusion, several SNPs related to calcium metabolism are associated with height, in particular rs3829251 at the DHCR7/NADSYN1 gene.