Patients with X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) and the hyp-mouse, a model of XLH characterized by a deletion in the Phex gene, manifest hypophosphatemia, renal phosphate wasting, and rickets/osteomalacia. Cloning of the PHEX/Phex gene and mutations in affected patients and hyp-mice established that alterations in PHEX/Phex expression underlie XLH. Although PHEX/Phex expression occurs primarily in osteoblast lineage cells, transgenic Phex expression in hyp-mouse osteoblasts fails to rescue the phenotype, suggesting that Phex expression at other sites underlies XLH. To establish whether abnormal Phex in osteoblasts and/or osteocytes alone generates the HYP phenotype, we created mice with a global Phex knockout (Cre-PhexΔflox/y mice) and conditional osteocalcin-promoted (OC-promoted) Phex inactivation in osteoblasts and osteocytes (OC-Cre-PhexΔflox/y). Serum phosphorus levels in Cre-PhexΔflox/y, OC-Cre-PhexΔflox/y, and hyp-mice were lower than those in normal mice. Kidney cell membrane phosphate transport in Cre-PhexΔflox/y, OC-Cre-PhexΔflox/y, and hyp-mice was likewise reduced compared with that in normal mice. Abnormal renal phosphate transport in Cre-PhexΔflox/y and OC-Cre-PhexΔflox/y mice was associated with increased bone production and serum FGF-23 levels and decreased kidney membrane type IIa sodium phosphate cotransporter protein, as was the case in hyp-mice. In addition, Cre-PhexΔflox/y, OC-Cre-PhexΔflox/y, and hyp-mice manifested comparable osteomalacia. These data provide evidence that aberrant Phex function in osteoblasts and/or osteocytes alone is sufficient to underlie the hyp-mouse phenotype.
Baozhi Yuan, Masanori Takaiwa, Thomas L. Clemens, Jian Q. Feng, Rajiv Kumar, Peter S. Rowe, Yixia Xie, Marc K. Drezner
Pi transport across renal brush border membrane and Npt2 protein content in the kidney.