Relative mRNA expression quantification.

<p><i>RANKL</i> (A), <i>OPG</i> (B), <i>OC</i> (C), <i>COL1A</i> (D), <i>MMP-2</i> (E), and <i>MMP-9</i> (F) mRNA expression in bone tissue of control, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and T1DM plus zinc supplementation (T1DMS) rats. All data are expressed as fold-change vs. control group values, normalized to <i>GAPDH</i>. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA on Ranks and Dunn’s post-hoc. <i>p</i> < 0.05*^/# vs. control group; <i>p</i> < 0.01*^/## vs. control group.</p

Assessment of collagen deposition by picrosirius red staining.

<p>Tibia staining for collagen content (picrosirius red). Total collagen (A), collagen type I (B), and collagen type III (C) contents of the control, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and T1DM plus zinc supplementation (T1DMS) groups. All data are shown as means ± SEM. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA on Ranks and Dunn’s post-hoc. <i>p</i> < 0.05 *^/# vs. control group.</p

Histological analyses of the right tibias.

<p>Hematoxylin and eosin staining of longitudinal sections of tibias of the control (A), type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) (B), and T1DM plus zinc supplementation (T1DMS) (C) groups. TB, trabecular bone; MS, medullary space; magnification 20X, scale bar: 50 μm.</p

Histomorphometric analyses of structural bone architecture.

<p>Trabecular separation (TbSP, μm) (A), trabecular width (TbWi, μm) (B), and trabecular bone area (BAr, %) (C) of control, type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and T1DM plus zinc supplementation (T1DMS) rats. All data are shown as means ± SEM. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA on Ranks and Dunn’s post-hoc. <i>p</i> < 0.01*^/## vs. control group; <i>p</i> < 0.001*^/### vs. control group; <i>p</i> < 0.05 **^/# vs. T1DM group; <i>p</i> < 0.001**^/### vs. T1DM group.</p

Tibia biomechanical parameters of control, diabetic, and diabetic plus zinc supplementation groups.

<p>T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T1DMS, T1DM plus zinc supplementation. All data are shown as means ± SEM. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA on Ranks and Dunn’s post-hoc.</p><p>*^/#<i>p</i> < 0.05 vs. control group;</p><p>*^/##<i>p</i> < 0.01 vs. control group.</p><p>Tibia biomechanical parameters of control, diabetic, and diabetic plus zinc supplementation groups.</p

Biochemical analyses and body weight of control, diabetic, and diabetic plus zinc supplementation groups.

<p>T1DM, type 1 diabetes mellitus; T1DMS, T1DM plus zinc supplementation; ALP, alkaline phosphatase. All data are shown as means ± SEM. Comparisons between groups were analyzed with Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA on Ranks and Dunn’s post-hoc.</p><p>*^/#<i>p</i> < 0.05 vs. control group;</p><p>*^/##<i>p</i> < 0.01 vs. control group;</p><p>*^/###<i>p</i> < 0.001 vs. control group;</p><p>**^/##<i>p</i> < 0.01 vs. T1DM group.</p><p>Biochemical analyses and body weight of control, diabetic, and diabetic plus zinc supplementation groups.</p