Increase in femoral bone mass by ipriflavone alone and in combination with 1 alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 in growing rats with skeletal unloading

Isoflavones prevent bone loss following ovariectomy in young adult rats

Soy protein, a rich source of phytoestrogens, exhibit estrogen-type bioactivity. The purpose of this study was to determine if ingestion of isoflavones before ovariectomy can prevent bone loss following ovariectomy. Twenty-four nulliparous Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. In the normal diet groups, a sham operation was performed on Group A, while ovariectomy was performed on Group B. For Groups C and D, all rats were fed with an isoflavone-rich (25 mg/day) diet for one month, then bilateral ovariectomy were performed. In the rats in Group C, a normal diet was begun following the ovariectomy. The rats in Groups D continued to receive the isoflavone-rich diet for two additional months postoperatively. All rats were sacrificed 60 days after surgery. The weight of bone ash of the long bones and whole lumbar spine were determined. A histological study of cancellous bone was done and biochemical indices of skeletal metabolism were performed and analyzed. The markers of bone metabolism exhibited no significant changes. When compared with the sham-operated rats fed a normal diet, the bone mass of ovariectomized rats decreased significantly; pre-ovariectomy ingestion of an isoflavone-rich diet did not prevent bone loss. The bone mass of rats treated with an isoflavone-rich diet for three months was higher than controls two months after ovariectomy.

Dietary isoflavones did not prevent the development of post-ovariectomy bone loss, but long-term ingestion of an isoflavone-rich diet increased the bone mineral contents after ovariectomy in young rats.

Spinal cord injury causes more damage to bone mass, bone structure, biomechanical properties and bone metabolism than sciatic neurectomy in young rats

INTRODUCTION

Although both spinal cord injury (SCI) and sciatic neurectomy (NX) can cause osteopaenia in young rats, the effects of these two injuries on cortical and cancellous bone may differ. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of SCI and NX on bone weight, bone material property, bone mass, bone geometry, trabecular microarchitecture, mechanical strength and bone turnover in young rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into three groups (10 per group): SCI, bilateral sciatic NX and untreated control (CON). All rats were killed on day 21. Bone mineral density (BMD) was studied using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). At death, the right proximal tibial metaphysis and the fourth lumbar vertebra were examined for bone structural geometric analysis by micro-computed tomography (CT) and then processed for histomorphometry to assess bone cell activity. Serum N-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX) and osteocalcin (OC) levels were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Biomechanical strength properties of the femur and humerus were measured by three-point bending, and the third lumbar vertebra and the proximal end of tibia were tested by compression.

RESULTS

BMD in the sublesional areas of SCI rats was significantly lower than that of NX rats (proximal tibia, 0.176+/-0.018 g/cm(2) vs. 0.224+/-0.015 g/cm(2), P<0.001). Bone volume (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N) and thickness (Tb.Th) in the tibial second spongiosa of SCI rats were significantly less than those in NX rats (BV/TV: 7.15+/-1.18% vs. 12.32+/-1.83%, P<0.001; Tb.N: 1.23+/-0.22 vs. 2.38+/-0.45, P<0.001; Tb.Th: 33.73+/-5.15 microm vs. 42.80+/-7.44 microm, P<0.01) and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp: 1,053.37+/-164.24 microm vs. 748.32+/-129.36 microm, P<0.01) was significantly greater than in NX rats. Furthermore, poorer trabecular connectivity was found in SCI rats than in NX rats (number of nodes, N.Nd/TV: 1.04+/-0.09 vs. 3.29+/-0.53; number of terminus, N.Tm/TV: 28.53+/-3.17 vs. 21.64+/-2.31, P<0.01). The bone formation rate of the tibial second spongiosa in SCI rats was significantly higher than in NX rats (2.06+/-0.13 vs. 1.53+/-0.09, P<0.001) and, also, the eroded surface in SCI rats was significantly higher than in NX rats (13.42+/-1.24 vs. 10.36+/-1.07, P<0.001). In addition, biomechanical tests showed that SCI rats had poorer biomechanical properties of the femur, proximal tibia and fourth lumbar vertebra than in NX rats. There were significantly higher levels of OC in SCI rats compared with NX rats (30.19+/-1.17 vs. 21.15+/-1.76, P<0.001). Also, serum NTX levels were significantly higher than in NX rats (51.60+/-2.61 vs. 33.85+/-1.93, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

SCI caused more damage to bone mass, bone structure, biomechanical properties and bone metabolism than NX in young rats. This suggests that different mechanisms may underlie osteopaenia following SCI and NX.

Nutritional modulators of bone remodeling during aging

Bone mass declines progressively with age in both men and women from the age of approximately 30 y. Increased longevity will inevitability be associated with an increase in the incidence of osteoporosis, its associated complications, and incurred health care costs. Current pharmacologic approaches focus on inhibiting bone resorption in those with osteoporosis but do little to improve bone mass. Increased understanding of the cellular events responsible for normal bone formation has led to multiple pathways that can be targeted to positively influence bone mass. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) have been shown to stimulate bone formation, and the BMP2 gene was recently linked to osteoporosis. BMP-2 therefore represents one potential molecular target to identify new agents to simulate bone formation. Research is accumulating on the positive effects of dietary sources that stimulate the BMP2 promoter and their effects on bone formation. Flavonoids and statins occur naturally in food products and have been shown to promote bone formation. It may be possible to influence peak bone mass by dietary means and to decrease the risk of osteoporosis in later life. To ease the future burden of osteoporosis, focusing on prevention will be key, and this could include dietary interventions to stimulate bone formation.

Effects of risedronate on femoral bone mineral density and bone strength in sciatic neurectomized young rats

Immobilization induces a rapid loss of bone density and bone strength in rats. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of risedronate (Ris) on the femoral bone density and bone strength of sciatic neurectomized young rats. Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats, 6 weeks of age, were randomized by the stratified weight method into the following four treatment groups of 10 rats each: sham-operation, bilateral sciatic neurectomy (NX), NX + low-dose Ris (0.25 mg/kg/day, orally), and NX + high-dose Ris (0.5 mg/kg/day, orally). After 8 weeks of feeding, the volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and stress strain index (SSI) of the femoral distal metaphysis and middiaphysis of the rats were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The mechanical properties of the femoral distal metaphysis and middiaphysis were measured by the compression and three-point bending tests, respectively. The femoral length was also measured. As compared with the findings in the sham-operated controls, NX resulted in a loss of femoral length, cancellous vBMD, SSI, maximum load, stiffness, and breaking energy of the femoral distal metaphysis; there was also loss of cortical thickness, SSI, maximum load, and stiffness of the femoral middiaphysis, with no significant effects on the cortical vBMD or breaking energy of the femoral middiaphysis. High-dose Ris increased the vBMD to values higher than those in the sham-operated controls, and prevented the loss of SSI, maximum load, and stiffness of the femoral distal metaphysis, while low-dose Ris prevented the loss of cancellous vBMD of the femoral distal metaphysis. Neither high- nor low-dose Ris affected any of the cortical bone parameters of the femoral middiaphysis, except for cortical thickness, or the femoral length. These findings suggest that Ris may prevent immobilization-induced loss of cancellous bone density and bone strength in a dose-dependent manner without interfering with bone growth, but has no apparent effects on the cortical bone in sciatic neurectomized young rats. The results of the present preclinical study should be taken into consideration prior to the commencement of Ris treatment for disabled children.

Effect of vitamin K2 on cortical and cancellous bones in orchidectomized and/or sciatic neurectomized rats

We examined the effect of vitamin K2 on cortical and cancellous bones in orchidectomized and/or sciatic neurectomized rats. Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats, 3 months of age, were randomized by stratified weight method into nine groups with 10 rats in each group: baseline control (BLC), age-matched intact control (IN), IN+vitamin K2 administration (K), orchidectomy (ORX), ORX+K, unilateral sciatic neurectomy (NX), NX+K, ORX+NX (ONX), and ONX+K. Vitamin K2 (menatetrenone) was administered orally twice a week at a dose of 30 mg/kg each. After 10 weeks of feeding, the tibial shaft and proximal tibia were processed for cortical and cancellous bone histomorphometric analyses, respectively. An ORX-induced reduction in maturation-related cortical bone gain and ORX-induced cancellous bone loss were attributable to increased endocortical and trabecular bone turnover, respectively. NX- and ONX-induced reductions in maturation-related cortical bone gain were attributable to decreased periosteal bone formation and increased endocortical bone turnover, while NX- and ONX-induced cancellous bone loss was attributable to increased bone resorption and decreased bone formation. ORX-induced cancellous bone loss was more pronounced when combined with immobilization. Vitamin K2 administration did not significantly alter any parameters in IN rats. Vitamin K2 administration in ORX rats suppressed endocortical bone resorption and trabecular bone turnover, retarding a reduction in maturation-related cortical bone gain and cancellous bone loss. This effect on cancellous bone loss was primarily because of prevention of a reduction of trabecular thickness. Vitamin K2 administration in NX and ONX rats suppressed bone resorption and stimulated bone formation (mineralization), with retardation of a reduction of trabecular thickness without any significant effect on cancellous bone mass, and suppressed endocortical bone resorption, retarding a reduction in maturation-related cortical bone gain. The present study provides evidence indicating that vitamin K2 has the potential to suppress bone resorption or bone turnover and/or stimulate bone formation in vivo in ORX and/or NX rats.