Pathophysiology of bone loss in castrated animals

The pathophysiology of bone loss in castrated animals is reviewed. Both male and female rats rapidly lose metaphyseal trabecular bone from the tibia and the femur due to an imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation. The aetiology of sex hormone deficiency-induced bone loss is not fully understood. It seems unlikely that the bone loss is due to changes in the circulating levels of the calciotropic hormones or to an increase in the spontaneous release from peripheral blood monocytes of the bone resorption stimulating cytokine IL-1. Changes in the sensitivity of bone of castrated rats to calciotropic hormones may play a role as well as the lack of direct stimulatory effects of gonadal oestrogens and androgens on bone cells. In addition several data indicate that prostaglandins may be involved.