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Glucocorticoids reduce alveolar and trabecular bone in mice
Béatrice Bouvard1, Yves Gallois, Erick Legrand
1Inserm, U922, LHEA, IRIS-IBM, institut de biologie en santé, CHU d'Angers, 4, rue Larrey, 49933 Angers cedex, France. bebouvard@chu-angers.fr
Unlabelled:
Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment is the main cause of secondary osteoporosis. There are some controversies about the relationships between alveolar bone loss and bone loss at the appendicular and axial skeleton.
Objective:
To assess, in parallel, the effects of GCs on alveolar bone and on the tibia in a mice model.
Methods:
Five-month-old male Swiss-Webster mice were randomized into two groups. Pellets releasing 5 mg/kg/day of prednisolone or control pellets were subcutaneously implanted for 28 days. After euthanasia, the right tibia and the right hemimandible of each mouse were analyzed by histomorphometry and microcomputed tomography. Alveolar bone consists of a thin slab between the incisor and the molar roots connected with the alveolar processes. A 2D-frontal section was done through the pulp chamber of the first molar and was used to measure the thickness of the alveolar bone slab. A 2D-sagittal section was done through the pulp chamber of the three molars and was used to measure bone volume in the alveolar processes.
Results:
At day 28, thickness and bone volume of alveolar bone were significantly decreased in the GC group (P<0.05). At the tibia, GCs decreased bone formation with a reduced mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate and a significant decrease in BV/TV and Tb.Th (P<0.05).
Conclusion:
Although the amount of alveolar bone is very low in the mouse, this study shows that GCs can induce an alveolar bone loss in long-term treated animals.
Insights
Glucocorticoids (GCs) cause significant alveolar bone loss and decrease bone formation in the tibia in mice. This study demonstrates GCs induce bone loss in the jaw, similar to effects seen in limb and spine bones.
Area of Science:
- Osteoporosis Research
- Endocrinology
- Periodontology
Background:
- Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment is a primary cause of secondary osteoporosis.
- The relationship between alveolar bone loss and systemic bone loss remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the parallel effects of GCs on alveolar bone and tibial bone in a mouse model.
- To clarify the impact of long-term GC use on oral bone health.
Main Methods:
- Five-month-old male Swiss-Webster mice received daily prednisolone (5 mg/kg/day) or control pellets for 28 days.
- Histomorphometry and microcomputed tomography analyzed tibia and hemimandible bone.
- Alveolar bone thickness and bone volume were measured via specific sectioning techniques.
Main Results:
- GC treatment significantly reduced alveolar bone thickness and bone volume (P<0.05).
- GCs decreased bone formation in the tibia, evidenced by reduced mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate.
- Significant decreases in bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) were observed in the tibia.
Conclusions:
- Glucocorticoids induce alveolar bone loss, even with a low baseline amount of bone in mice.
- The findings support that long-term GC administration negatively impacts both systemic and oral bone.
