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Estradiol ameliorates arthritis and protects against systemic bone loss in Staphylococcus aureus infection in mice
Inger Gjertsson1, Marie K Lagerquist, Erik Kristiansson
1Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Institute of Medicine, Guldhedsgatan 10A, Gothenburg, S-413 46, Sweden. catharina.lindholm@rheuma.gu.se.
Introduction:
Staphylococcus aureus is a common cause of bacterial arthritis, which is associated with progressive bone loss in affected joints. We recently showed that S. aureus infection also induces a significant systemic bone loss in mice. This study was performed to assess the effect of estradiol treatment on the clinical course and outcome of S. aureus arthritis and on infection-induced bone loss in experimental S. aureus infection.
Methods:
Mice were ovariectomized, treated with estradiol or placebo, and S. aureus infection was established by intravenous inoculation of bacteria.
Results:
Estradiol treatment was found to decrease significantly the frequency and clinical severity of S. aureus arthritis, a finding that was accompanied with significantly higher serum levels of interleukin-10 in estradiol-treated mice. Estradiol was also highly protective against S. aureus-induced systemic trabecular, and cortical bone loss. Lack of endogenous estrogens and S. aureus infection had additive effects on trabecular bone loss. The S. aureus-infected, ovariectomized mice lost as much as 76% of their trabecular bone mass.
Conclusions:
Treatment with estradiol ameliorates S. aureus arthritis and is protective against infection-induced systemic bone loss in experimental S. aureus infection.
