The novel bone alkaline phosphatase B1x isoform in children with kidney disease.

The bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) B1x isoform has previously only been identified in some adults with chronic kidney disease on dialysis and in human bone tissue. Twenty-nine patients, 3-20 years of age, with reduced renal function due to a variety of kidney diseases were examined. We measured parathyroid hormone (PTH), biointact (whole 1-84) PTH, osteoprotegerin (OPG), CrossLaps (CTX), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b (TRACP 5b) type I procollagen intact amino-terminal propeptide (PINP), osteocalcin, total alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and BALP isoforms B/I, B1x, B1, and B2. Fifty percent higher levels were detected of PTH vs. biointact PTH, demonstrating non-(1-84) PTH fragments detected by the PTH assay. Increased activities were found in five, four, and three patients for total ALP, B1, and B2, respectively. Sixteen (55%) patients had increased B/I levels. B1x was identified in two (7%) patients, who had OPG levels in the higher range independently of age, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and biointact PTH. B1x was identified prior to and after 9 days of growth hormone (GH) therapy in one patient but not after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, however. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the novel BALP B1x isoform is occasionally found to be present in children with kidney disease but to a lesser degree in comparison with adults with chronic kidney disease on dialysis. It is essential to perform bone histomorphometry for future investigations in order to elucidate the exact nature of circulating B1x in patients with kidney disease for accurate classification of type of renal bone disease.