Effect of Strontium Ranelate on Femur Densitometry and Antioxidative/Oxidative Status in Castrated Male Rats

The studies were aimed at determinatning of the effect of strontium ranelate (SR) on the mineralization  processes and selected parameters of oxidative stress in orchidectomized rats during the development of  osteopenia. Male Wistar rats were sham-operated (SHO) and orchidectomized (ORX). ORX animals were  divided into control (ORX-C) and gavaged with SR (ORX-SR), at a dose of 900mg/kg/b.w. After 60 days  the animals were scanned for determination of bone mineral density (BMD) of the whole skeleton. Isolated  femora were examined by DEXA and pQCT. Tomographic measurements were performed for a total  slice and separately for the cortical and trabecular parts of the distal end of the femora. The intensity of  lipid peroxidation (ILP) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in blood serum were measured. SR treatment  increased vBMD and BMC of total, trabecular and cortical bone in ORX rats compared to ORX-C and  SHO rats. ORX significantly increased TAC in control animals, and SR limited this increase. ILP in SHO  and ORX-C rats which on a similar level. SR increased ILP by 21.3%, as compared to SHO. SR improved  densitometric and geometric parameters of femora by orchidectomized rats what prevented degradation of  bone tissue. Beneficial effects of SR were also demonstrated in stabilization of TAC in ORX rats at the level  noted in SHO rats.

Consumption of pasteurized human lysozyme transgenic goats’ milk alters serum metabolite profile in young pigs

Nutrition, bacterial composition of the gastrointestinal tract, and general health status can all influence the metabolic profile of an organism. We previously demonstrated that feeding pasteurized transgenic goats’ milk expressing human lysozyme (hLZ) can positively impact intestinal morphology and modulate intestinal microbiota composition in young pigs. The objective of this study was to further examine the effect of consuming hLZ-containing milk on young pigs by profiling serum metabolites. Pigs were placed into two groups and fed a diet of solid food and either control (non-transgenic) goats’ milk or milk from hLZ-transgenic goats for 6 weeks. Serum samples were collected at the end of the feeding period and global metabolite profiling was performed. For a total of 225 metabolites (160 known, 65 unknown) semi-quantitative data was obtained. Levels of 18 known and 4 unknown metabolites differed significantly between the two groups with the direction of change in 13 of the 18 known metabolites being almost entirely congruent with improved health status, particularly in terms of the gastrointestinal tract health and immune response, with the effects of the other five being neutral or unknown. These results further support our hypothesis that consumption of hLZ-containing milk is beneficial to health

The protective and therapeutic effect of exclusive and combined treatment with alpha-ketoglutarate sodium salt and ipriflavone on bone loss in orchidectomized rats

Objective: This study investigated the effect of alpha-ketoglutarate sodium salt (AKG) and ipriflavone (IP) treatment on the mineralization of the tibia in male rats during the development and after the establishment of osteopenia. Design: One hundred and twenty eight male rats were randomly selected and submitted to either sham-operation (SHO) or orchidectomy (ORX), after which each group were then randomly divided between the two experiments. In Experiment-1, treatment with AKG or/and IP started after a 7-day recovery period, whereas in Experiment-2, the experimental protocol proceeded after a 60-day period of osteopenia establishment. AKG was then administered as an experimental drinking, at a concentration of 1.0 mol/l. As a control, a placebo solution was administered. IP at 50 mg/kg b.w., and physiological saline–PhS (as a control for IP) were applied daily via gavage. Measurements: After 60 days of experimental treatment, in both experiments, the rats were sacrificed, their body weight recorded, while blood serum (Osteocalcin, CTX) and isolated tibia (weight, length, pQCT, DXA, 3-point bending test) were stored for further analysis. Results and conclusions: Our results show that during the development of osteopenia, AKG and IP when applied exclusively, counteracts osteopenia development, whereas their usage after the establishment of osteopenia, significantly limits the development of bone disorders. Furthermore, combined treatment of AKG and IP exceeded the effects of their sole usage. In addition, during the development of osteopenia, AKG and IP not only inhibited bone resorption, but markedly stimulated the formation of bone tissue. Finally, after the development of osteopenia, combined treatment with AKG and IP protected the bone tissue against orchidectomy-induced bone loss

Bone losses in obese, ovariectomized rats appear to be independent from sclerostin-induced inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway

Introduction. Overweight and obesity, as well as a gonadal function, are pivotal factors influencing bone tissue metabolism. Materials and method. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of dietary induced obesity (DIO) on bone tissue metabolism in sham-operated (SHO) or ovariectomized (OVX) adult female Wistar rats. Additionally, the influence of DIO in SHO or OVX on the concentration of sclerostin in the blood serum was analyzed. After SHO or OVX, the rats were placed in groups (n=8) and either received a standard diet (11.5 MJ/kg) (SHO-CON; OVX-CON) or a high-energy diet (17.6 MJ/kg) (SHO-FAT; OVX-FAT). The experiment lasted for 90 days and allowed for the establishment of osteopenia in OVX females and obesity in the rats that had received the high-energy diet. Results. The results of the study demonstrate that obesity or/and ovariectomy increases the resorption of femora and tibiae, hence decreasing the densitometric and mechanical parameters affecting the bone structure in adult females rats. The strongest osteodegenerative effect was seen in the OVX-FAT females. Interestingly, the degree of bone tissue degradation caused exclusively by ovariectomy was similar to that found in the obese sham-operated rats. Conclusions. Bone losses invoked by DIO seem to be independent from the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibition induced by sclerostin. While further study is necessary, the obtained results suggest that the usage of sclerostin anti-body in the treatment of osteoporosis can be ineffective, and in obese patients the undertaking of such therapy should be reassessed