Histomorphometric Analysis of Diabetic Bone Disease in Rat Models

FELICE, JUAN IGNACIO; MCCARTHY, ANTONIO DESMOND; CORTIZO, ANA MARÍA

São Paulo

Encuentro; 1st Latin America Osteoporosis Meeting; 2012

International Osteoporosis Foundation

Aims/Objetivos/Objetivo: Diabetic bone disease is associated with increased fracture risk and a delay in healing of fractures, consequently affecting life quality. The mechanisms involved in these alterations are still not completely known. The aim of this study was to investigate the histological characteristics of the femora in rats with progressive alterations in glucose metabolism.Methods/Métodos/Métodos: Two month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control (C, untreated rats), streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic rats (D) for 3 weeks, STZ-nicotinamide-induced moderately diabetic rats (MD) for 3 weeks, or fructose-induced metabolic syndrome (F) for 4 weeks. After these periods of time, serum samples were taken for biochemical assays. The femora of each group were used for evaluation of metaphyseal microarchitecture (trabecular volume and osteocytic density) by Hematoxilin-Eosin staining.Results: An increase in non-fasting blood glucose, fructosamine and triglycerides were observed in D, MD and F versus C group. Plasma insulin levels were statistically decreased in D (8%) and MD (16%) but increased in F (410%), in comparison with untreated control animals. Analysis of femoral length revealed a decrease (23%) in D, but not in MD and F compared to control rats. Histomorphometric studies of femoral metaphyses showed a  decrease in trabecular bone volume of D (75 ± 1 % of C, p<0.05), DM (80 ± 1 % of C, p<0.05) and F (85 ± 1 % of C, p<0.05) rats, The osteocyte density was also statistically decreased in D (30 ± 1 %), MD (35 ± 2 %) and F (85 ± 2 %), compared to C rats (p<0.05).Conclusion/Conclusão/Conclusión: Progressive alterations in glucose metabolism (as evaluated by plasmatic glucose, insulin and fructosamine) were associated with an increase in alterations of bone histomorphometry, in rat models of metabolic syndrome and Diabetes mellitus.