Oral Vitamin C Prevents Structural Deterioration in Ovariectomized Mice.

<p>Measurements by micro-CT (Scanco μCT40) of static parameters, including bone mineral density (volumetric) (A), bone volume fraction (BV/TV) (B), trabecular number (TbN) (C), trabecular thickness (TbTh) (D), trabecular spacing (TbS) (E), and bone volume (BV) (F), measured 8 weeks following ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation (C) in 6 month-old mice. The mice were allowed to ingest vitamin C (VC) (5 mg/day) in drinking water <i>ad libitum</i>. Panel G shows representative μ-CT images from the respective groups. Statistics: comparisons were made for differences between ovariectomized and sham-operated mice (*p<0.05, **p<0.01), and within the sham-operated and ovariectomized groups, between vitamin C treated and controls (∧p<0.05, ∧∧p<0.01); n = 5 mice per group.</p

Oral Vitamin C Stimulates the Expression of Osteoblast Differentiation Genes.

<p>Quantitative PCR (qPCR) on RNA isolated from bone marrow stromal cells harvested from mice that were fed with vitamin C (5 mg/day, VC) following ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation (Sham). The cells were cultured in ascorbate-free medium for 6 or 10 days following which the expression of several osteoblast differentiation genes and transcription factors, namely <i>bone sialoprotein</i> (<i>BSP</i>), <i>bone morphogenetic protein-2</i> (<i>BMP2</i>), <i>Runx2</i>, <i>osterix</i>, and <i>alkaline phosphatase</i> (<i>ALP</i>) were quantitated. Statistics: mean±SEM; comparisons between vitamin C-treated and untreated groups (*p<0.05, **p<0.01); qPCR in triplicate; n = 5 mice per group (pooled).</p

Oral Vitamin C Stimulates Bone Formation in Ovariectomized Mice.

<p>Representative reverse phase contrast (showing trabecular structure) (A) and fluorescence micrographs (showing calcein labels) (B) 8 weeks following ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation (C) in 6 month-old mice. The mice were allowed to ingest vitamin C (VC) (5 mg/day) in drinking water <i>ad libitum</i>. Measurements of dynamic parameters, including mineralizing surface (MS) (C), mineral apposition rate (MAR) (D), bone formation rate (BFR) (E) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase- (TRAP-) labeled surfaces (Resorbed S./BPm) (F). Markers of bone turnover measured in plasma, namely osteocalcin (formation) (G) and C-telopeptide (resorption) (H). Statistics: comparisons were made for differences between ovariectomized and sham-operated mice (*p<0.05, **p<0.01), and within the sham-operated and ovariectomized groups, between vitamin C treated and controls (∧p<0.05, ∧∧p<0.01); n = 5 mice per group.</p