Lipid changes in the bones of the healing vitamin D-deficient phosphate-deficient rat

The bones of vitamin D-deficient, phosphate-deficient rats have a lipid composition that is significantly different from that of normal bones. Specifically, these bones have elevated cholesterol and reduced lysophosphatide and free fatty acid contents. Treatment of these animals with a single dose of vitamin D and phosphate produces healing within 72 h and causes rapid corrections of alterations in growth plate and cancellous bone lipid composition. Healing of the rachitic/osteomalacic state in these animals was demonstrated radiographically and histologically. Histomorphometric measurements showed that the relative osteoid volume of the cancellous bone rapidly approached the 7% value of normal controls, decreasing from 29% in the rachitic animals to 16% by 12 h and 8.5% by 72 h. Significant changes in ash weight, Ca:P ratio, and crystal-lite size and perfection were detectable at 12 h, with these parameters approaching values found in normal animals within 72 h. Calcium-acidic phospholipid-phosphate complexes, which are known to promote hydroxyapatite formation, peaked in concentration at 12 h in epiphysis, cancellous, and cortical bone, returning rapidly to normal values after that time. In untreated animals the complexed acidic phospholipid content of the nonmineralized epiphysis was comparable to that in normal mineralizing epiphysis, whereas the content of the complexes was reduced in the cancellous bones of the untreated animals.