Simulated weightlessness and bone metabolism: impairment of glucose consumption in bone tissue

The effect of simulated weightlessness on bone glucose consumption was investigated in skeletal unloading for up to 4 days. Skeletal unloading was designed using the model of hind-limb hang in rats. Femoral-diaphyseal fragments obtained from rats bred with skeletal unloading were cultured for 24 h at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2/95% air in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (high glucose, 4.5 g/dl). The consumption of medium glucose by bone tissues was significantly decreased by skeletal unloading for 2 and 4 days, while the production of lactic acid from bone tissues was not significantly altered. In addition, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content in the cultured bone was significantly decreased by skeletal unloading. The presence of calcitonin (synthetic [Asu1,7] eel, 3 and 30 nM) fairly restored bone glucose consumption impaired by skeletal unloading. However, the effect of insulin (1 and 10 nM) on bone glucose consumption and ATP content was not seen in the bone tissues with skeletal unloading. These results suggest that the sensitivity of bone response for insulin action is reteriorated by skeletal unloading.