Different effects on bone strength and cell differentiation in pre pubertal caloric restriction versus hypothalamic
R N Joshi1, F F Safadi, M F Barbe
1Department of Kinesiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
Bone
|August 3, 2011
Summary
Energy restriction during puberty may help bone strength by increasing vertebral bone volume. Hypothalamic suppression, however, leads to bone loss and reduced bone strength.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Bone Biology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Energy restriction and hypothalamic dysfunction during puberty can impact peak bone mass accrual.
- The relationship between energy restriction and bone strength is complex, with conflicting research findings.
- Estradiol suppression is hypothesized to mediate bone loss secondary to energy restriction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of energy restriction and hypothalamic suppression on bone mechanical strength.
- To examine the osteogenic capacity of bone marrow-derived cells under these conditions.
- To compare two models: gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-a) treatment and 30% energy restriction (ER) in female rats.
Main Methods:
- Female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into control, GnRH-a, and ER groups.
- GnRH-a group received daily injections, while the ER group received 70% of control intake for 27 days.
- Evaluated body weight, organ weights, bone strength, histomorphometry, serum IGF-1, osteocalcin, and osteoblast proliferation/differentiation.
Main Results:
- GnRH-a treatment suppressed uterine weight, osteoblast proliferation, bone strength, and trabecular bone volume.
- ER group showed increased osteoblast proliferation and enhanced lumbar spine trabecular bone volume compared to controls.
- ER animals maintained relative bone strength despite smaller body size, unlike GnRH-a animals which exhibited bone deficits.
Conclusions:
- Hypothalamic suppression via GnRH-a leads to bone strength deficits and bone loss.
- Energy restriction may induce an adaptive increase in vertebral bone volume for mineral storage.
- The findings differentiate the bone effects of nutritional stress from those of estradiol suppression.
Related Concept Videos
Bone Disorders
Aging and its effect on bone remodeling is the most common cause of bone disorders. In young and healthy people, bone deposition and resorption happen at an equal rate to maintain optimal bone health.
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...
Hormones and Bone Tissue
The endocrine system produces and secretes hormones, which interact with the skeletal system. These hormones control bone growth, maintain bone once it is formed, and remodel it.
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Hormones That Influence Osteoblasts and/or Maintain the Matrix
Several hormones are necessary for controlling bone growth and maintaining the bone matrix. The pituitary gland secretes growth hormone (GH), which, as its name implies, controls bone growth. This happens in several ways: first, it triggers chondrocyte...
Nature and Nurture
Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation
During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...
Study Designs in Epidemiology
Epidemiological study designs are fundamental tools for investigating the distribution, determinants, and control of health conditions in populations. They help researchers understand the relationships between exposures and outcomes, and they broadly fall into two categories: "observational" and "experimental" studies.
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies.
Observational studies are those where the researcher does not intervene but rather observes natural variations. They include cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control studies.
Functions of Thyroid Hormones
The thyroid hormone (TH) plays a pivotal role in the intricate orchestration of physiological processes, exerting profound effects on development, metabolism, and homeostasis throughout different life stages.
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...


