Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
Trabecular Bone Microarchitecture Evaluation in an Osteoporosis Mouse Model
Published on: September 8, 2023
Effects of methylprednisolone on bone mineral density and microarchitecture of trabecular bones in rats with
1Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Second Xiang-Ya Hospital, Central South University, Hunan, P R China.
Background:
Little research exists on the dynamic effects of glucocorticoids on bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitecture of trabecular bones of rats assessed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT).
Purpose:
To investigate time-related changes in the BMD and microarchitecture of trabeculae in rats exposed to glucocorticoid.
Material And Methods:
Female Sprague-Dawley rats were recruited into a baseline group, glucocorticoid-treated groups, or control groups. Glucocorticoid-treated rats were given daily subcutaneous injections of methylprednisolone at a dosage of 3.5 mg/kg for 1 or 9 weeks. A high-resolution micro-CT was used to identify the densitometric and microarchitectural properties of trabeculae in both the proximal metaphysis of tibiae and the sixth lumbar vertebrae (L6).
Results:
Compared with baseline rats, volumetric BMD, tissue BMD, bone volume fraction, trabecular number, and degree of anisotropy of trabeculae from tibiae or L6 increased in control rats and glucocorticoid-treated rats with time; however, changes in the latter group were smaller. Compared with control rats at each time point, a decrease occurred in volumetric BMD, tissue BMD, bone volume fraction, trabecular number, degree of anisotropy, and trabecular connectivity density in trabecular bones from tibiae or L6 in glucocorticoid-treated rats. The decrease was greater in week 9 compared to week 1. Contrarily, an increase was noted in trabecular thickness, trabecular separation, and structure model index in glucocorticoid-treated rats. A time-related analysis within glucocorticoid-treated groups in both skeletal regions showed a decline in bone volume fraction, trabecular connectivity density, trabecular number, and degree of anisotropy with time, but trabecular thickness and trabecular separation were elevated.
Conclusion:
Methylprednisolone can inhibit bone mineralization and bone mass gain with growth in rats. It can also deteriorate microarchitecture of trabeculae in a time-dependent or an accumulative dose-dependent manner. Further, the remaining trabeculae appear to thicken in order to adapt to altered stress.
More Related Videos
04:24Proper Positioning and Restraint of a Rat Hind Limb for Focused High Resolution Imaging of Bone Micro-architecture Using In Vivo Micro-computed Tomography
Published on: November 22, 2017
05:55Tension-Free Weight-Bearing Model of Steroid-Induced Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head in Rats
Published on: September 27, 2024
