Low bone density with normal bone turnover in ovariectomized and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Diabetes and estrogen deficit are known causes of osteopenia, diabetes being associated with a low bone turnover and estrogen deficit with a high bone turnover. In the present work, we studied the effect of combined ovariectomy and diabetes on bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) and several bone markers in the rat. Four groups of rats were studied: control (C), ovariectomized (O), diabetic (D), and ovariectomized and diabetic (DO). Twelve weeks after starting the experiments, BMC and BMD of the first six lumbar vertebrae were measured; a bone formation marker (BGP) and a bone resorption marker (free collagen cross-links, PYD) were also analyzed. Diabetic rats showed diminished gain in bone mass, BMC (D: 0.417 +/- 0.028 g, DO: 0.422 +/- 0.020 g) and BMDs (D: 0.171 +/- 0.006 g/cm2, DO: 0.174 +/- 0.006 g/cm2) both being significantly (P < 0.001) lower than those of control (C: BMC 0.727 +/- 0.024 g and BMD 0.258 +/- 0.004 g/cm2) and ovariectomized (O: BMC 0.640 +/- 0.044 g and BMD 0.240 +/- 0.009 g/cm2) groups. Moreover, the BMC and BMD of the C group were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of the O group. BGP and PYD levels were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the O group (BGP: 138.2 +/- 16.8 ng/ml, PYD: 270.2 +/- 17.8 nM/mM) than those found in the control rats (BGP: 44.7 +/- 4.8 ng/ml, PYD: 165.6 +/- 12.5 nM/mM); the D group showed significantly (P < 0.01) lower values (BGP: 27.4 +/- 14.6 ng/ml, PYD: 55.0 +/- 7.4 nM/mM) than those of the control group. The DO group showed similar levels (BGP: 43.4 +/- 5.1 ng/ml, PYD: 146.7 +/- 14.6 nM/mM) to those found in the C group. Although bone marker levels in the O and D groups were in accordance with those expected in these situations, in the DO group the corresponding levels are apparently "normal." Also, the decrease of gain in bone mass observed after combining estrogen deficit and diabetes (DO group) did not seem to be more marked than that caused by diabetes alone.

Heterogeneous decrease of bone mineral density in the vertebral column of ovariectomized rats.

The long-term effect of ovariectomy on the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated in rats with and without estrogen treatment; BMD was studied in the lumbar and caudal vertebrae, measured by DXA, to find how the losses of BMD occur in the axial skeleton. Seventy female Wistar rats of 3 months of age were divided into four groups as follows: group 1: control animals; group 2: ovariectomized animals; group 3: ovariectomized animals undergoing treatment with estrogen (0.25 mg/kg per week of 17-beta estradiol); group 4: ovariectomized rats undergoing estrogen treatment only during the last 3 months of the experimental period. No significant differences were found among the groups in regard to the BMD values of the caudal vertebrae at either 3 or 6 months. Likewise, in the lumbar vertebrae there were no significant differences among the groups after 3 months. However, at 6 months, a decrease in the BMDs of the ovariectomized animals with respect to the remaining groups was found: 226 +/- 11 mg/cm2 in the ovariectomized group; 262 +/- 14 mg/cm2 in the controls; 255 +/- 4 mg/cm2 in the rats receiving estrogen treatment for 6 months; and 259 +/- 5 mg/cm2 in the animals receiving estrogen for 3 months. The study also reveals the absence of differences in the bone mineral density between the ovariectomized and control rats when the former received estrogen treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)