Elsevier

Bone

Volume 85, April 2016, Pages 45-54
Bone

Original Full Length Article
The effects of strength training and raloxifene on bone health in aging ovariectomized rats

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2015.11.023Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Bone loss in the femoral neck is attenuated by strength training and raloxifene

  • Strength training and raloxifene improved bone microarchitecture and strength in aging

  • Strength training and raloxifene improved immunolabeling pattern for RUNX-2

  • Strength training and raloxifene resulted in a reduction of the SMI and DA.

  • Strength training is as effective as raloxifene in osteoporosis prevention.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of strength training (ST) and raloxifene (Ral), alone or in combination, on the prevention of bone loss in an aging estrogen-deficient rat model. Aging Wistar female rats were ovariectomized at 14 months and allocated to four groups: (1) non-trained and treated with vehicle, NT-Veh; (2) strength training and treated with vehicle, ST-Veh; (3) non-trained and treated with raloxifene, NT-Ral; and (4) strength training and treated with raloxifene, ST-Ral. ST was performed on a ladder three times per week and Ral was administered daily by gavage (1 mg/kg/day), both for 120 days. Areal bone mineral density (aBMD), strength, microarchitecture, and biomarkers (osteocalcin, OCN; osteoprotegerin, OPG; and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, TRAP) were assessed. Immunohistochemistry was performed for runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix (OSX), OCN, OPG, TRAP, and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL). The rats that performed ST (ST-Veh) or were treated with Ral (NT-Ral) showed significant improvements in aBMD (p = 0.001 and 0.004), bone strength (p = 0.001), and bone microarchitecture, such as BV/TV (%) (p = 0.001), BS/TV (mm2/mm3) (p = 0.023 and 0.002), Conn.Dn (1/mm3) (p = 0.001), Tb.N (1/mm) (p = 0.012 and 0.011), Tb.Th (1/mm) (p = 0.001), SMI (p = 0.001 and 0.002), Tb.Sp (p = 0.001), and DA (p = 0.002 and 0.007); there was also a significant decrease in plasma levels of OCN (p = 0.001 and 0.002) and OPG (p = 0.003 and 0.014), compared with animals in the NT-Veh group. Ral, with or without ST, promoted an increased immunolabeling pattern for RUNX2 (p = 0.0105 and p = 0.0006) and OSX (p = 0.0105), but a reduced immunolabeling pattern for TRAP (p = 0.0056) and RANKL (p = 0.033 and 0.004). ST increased the immunolabeling pattern for RUNX2 (p = 0.0105), and association with Ral resulted in an increased immunolabeling pattern for OPG (p = 0.0034) and OCN (p = 0.0024). In summary, ST and Ral administration in aged, estrogen-deficient Wistar female rats is associated with a decrease in bone turnover marker plasma levels, increased activity of cells that promote osteoblastogenesis, and decreased activity of cells that promote osteoclastogenesis; these are correlated with higher aBMD, bone strength, and bone microarchitecture at the femoral neck. The results indicate that strength training and Ral are potential tools to reduce the risk of fractures at clinically relevant sites.

Introduction

Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by increased risk of fracture. Its prevalence is increasing as a result of longer life expectancies and population aging; consequently, it is responsible for a rise in social and public health problems [1], [2]. Osteoporosis arises from changes in bone homeostasis, which result in impairments to the remodeling cycle [3]. Hip fractures are one of the most common types of fracture that affect people with osteoporosis, and are associated with a higher level of disability and health care costs than all other osteoporotic fractures [4], [5]. Fourteen percent of the total number of fractures in the USA are femoral neck fractures, which account for 72% of the total cost of treating osteoporotic fractures [6].

Among local and systemic factors that contribute to an imbalance in the activity of bone cells, estrogen has an important role to play in bone health as a result of both direct and indirect activity [7]. Postmenopausal women have an increased risk of fragility fractures related to changes in hormonal levels [8]; these changes result in a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD), due to an increase in bone resorption relative to bone formation [9]. Preventive and therapeutic interventions for maintaining bone health are therefore extremely important given the impact on functional independence and quality of life in older people. In recent years, several studies have identified pathways involved in the maintenance and formation of bone that can be used for targeting drug therapy, such as the use of anabolic agents (parathyroid hormone) [10], and antiresorptive treatments, such as immunological (RANKL antibody) [11], hormone replacement [12], and bisphosphonate therapy [13].

Raloxifene (Ral), a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), is an example of a class of pharmacological compounds with beneficial effects on bone tissue [14] and that lower the risk of breast cancer [15]. Clinical studies have demonstrated that Ral prevents bone loss and lowers the risk of fracture by modulating bone turnover [16]. Ral has been described as an antiresorptive drug, but the presence of estrogen receptors in osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells suggests that Ral can have a direct role in the regulation of osteoblast lineage cells as well as an osteoblast stimulatory role [17], [18]. However, the mechanism by which this SERM exerts its effect on bone cells has yet to be fully elucidated [17], and no in vivo study has documented an effect of Ral on osteoblasts.

Strength training (ST) has been proposed as an alternative to drug therapy in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, as a means of preventing deterioration of bone mass. ST exercises are known to increase bone strength and bone mass [19], and improve bone microarchitecture [20], whereas a sedentary lifestyle has been associated with increased bone resorption [21]. Mechanical loading also influences a range of tissues, including muscle, tendons, and ligaments, and represents a means of protecting skeletal integrity in a nonpharmacological fashion [22]. In the postmenopausal period, there is decreased activity of estrogen receptor α in bone cells, with a concurrent decline in the responsiveness of bone to mechanical load, which further exacerbates deterioration of bone quality [23], [24], [25]. This is a possible explanation for bone loss in postmenopausal women in amounts comparable to that associated with disuse [26].

Considering bone fragility in old age, it is essential to propose interventions that can minimize bone loss and validate preventive measures for primary osteoporosis. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ST and Ral, alone or in combination, on the prevention of bone loss in an aged estrogen-deficient rat model.

Section snippets

Animals

All animal procedures were approved (Process number 001,397–2010) by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Faculty of Dentistry (Univ. Estadual Paulista – UNESP, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil) and complied with the Guide for Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.

Female Wistar rats aged 13–18 months were obtained from the central animal facility of the Faculty of Dentistry of Araçatuba, and were housed at 22 °C (± 2 °C) under a 12:12 h light:dark cycle. The animals were allowed free access to

Effect of ST and Ral treatment on body weight, uterus weight, and estradiol plasma concentration

After the 120-day intervention, there were no significant main effects for Ral or ST, and no significant interactions between Ral and ST for body weight (p > 0.05, Table 1). Successful OVX was confirmed at sacrifice, using uterus weight and estradiol plasma concentration. There were no significant effects for ST or Ral, and no significant interactions between ST and Ral for uterus weight and estradiol plasma concentration (p > 0.05, Table 1).

Effect of ST and Ral treatment on bone mass, strength, and trabecular microarchitecture in the femoral neck

The representative 3D reconstructed micro-CT images of

Discussion

This study clearly demonstrates that ST and Ral can prevent deterioration of bone mineral density, microarchitecture, and strength in the femoral neck of aged estrogen-deficient Wistar female rats. This shows that the critical role of estrogen deficiency in bone loss is attenuated to the same extent by ST and Ral.

Femoral neck fractures cause the most morbidity and mortality of any osteoporotic fracture. As such, a study investigating potential therapeutic interventions for the prevention of

Conclusion

We conclude that hypoestrogenism-induced osteopenia during the aging process can be reversed using ST and Ral. Therefore, we suggest that physical exercise (ST) and drug treatment (Ral) are effective interventions in the prevention of osteopenia. They induce an improvement in bone quality, along with a lower risk of fractures, and consequently a better quality of life for women in whom hormone replacement therapy or bisphosphonates are contraindicated. Moreover, ST itself, without associated

Grants

CAPES (Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel/number 2010/03,112–6) and FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo/number 2010/09,393–7) supported this work.

Disclosures

There are no conflicts of interest to be disclosed by any author.

Acknowledgments

We thank the Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho,” research foundations (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo - FAPESP and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES), and the Brazilian Society of Physiology for supporting the present study. We would also like to thank Dr. Euclides Braga Malheiros (UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil) and Dr. Sílvia Helena Venturoli Perri (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UNESP, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil) for

References (54)

  • C. Cooper et al.

    Secular trends in the incidence of hip and other osteoporotic fractures

    Osteoporos. Int.

    (2011)
  • L. Lanyon et al.

    Postmenopausal osteoporosis as a failure of bone's adaptation to functional loading: a hypothesis

    J. Bone Miner. Res.

    (2001)
  • J.A. Cauley et al.

    Geographic and ethnic disparities in osteoporotic fractures

    Nat. Rev. Endocrinol.

    (2014)
  • K.E. Ensrud

    Epidemiology of fracture risk with advancing age

    J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci.

    (2013)
  • J.R. Rey et al.

    Raloxifene: mechanism of action, effects on bone tissue, and applicability in clinical traumatology practice

    Open Orthop. J.

    (2009)
  • D.S. Buist et al.

    Identifying postmenopausal women at high risk of fracture in populations: a comparison of three strategies

    J. Am. Geriatr. Soc.

    (2002)
  • ESHRE Capri Workshop Group

    Bone fractures after menopause

    Hum. Reprod. Update

    (2010)
  • H.B. Jia et al.

    Estrogen alone or in combination with parathyroid hormone can decrease vertebral MEF2 and sclerostin expression and increase vertebral bone mass in ovariectomized rats

    Osteoporos. Int.

    (2014)
  • T. Miyazaki et al.

    A review of denosumab for the treatment of osteoporosis

    Patient Prefer. Adherence

    (2014)
  • S. Canpolat et al.

    Effects of raloxifene and estradiol on bone turnover parameters in intact and ovariectomized rats

    J. Physiol. Biochem.

    (2010)
  • J. Reginster et al.

    Randomized trial of the effects of risedronate on vertebral fractures in women with established postmenopausal osteoporosis. vertebral efficacy with risedronate therapy (VERT) Study Group

    Osteoporos. Int.

    (2000)
  • S. Kato

    Molecular mechanism of tissue-specific actions of SERM

    Clin. Calcium

    (2006)
  • S. Martino et al.

    Continuing outcomes relevant to evista: breast cancer incidence in postmenopausal osteoporotic women in a randomized trial of raloxifene

    J. Natl. Cancer Inst.

    (2004)
  • B. Ettinger et al.

    Reduction of vertebral fracture risk in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with raloxifene: results from a 3-year randomized clinical trial. multiple outcomes of raloxifene evaluation (MORE) investigators

    JAMA

    (1999)
  • T. Notomi et al.

    Effects of resistance exercise training on mass, strength, and turnover of bone in growing rats

    Eur. J. Appl. Physiol.

    (2000)
  • T. Notomi et al.

    A comparison of resistance and aerobic training for mass, strength and turnover of bone in growing rats

    Eur. J. Appl. Physiol.

    (2000)
  • L. Maïmoun et al.

    Effect of physical activity on calcium homeostasis and calciotropic hormones: a review

    Calcif. Tissue Int.

    (2009)
  • Cited by (28)

    • Milk kefir therapy improves the skeletal response to resistance exercise in rats submitted to glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

      2022, Experimental Gerontology
      Citation Excerpt :

      Initially, the animals were subjected to an adaptation, in which they were encouraged to climb a ladder without any kind of painful stimulus. On the first day of week 7, a maximum load test was performed (Stringhetta-Garcia et al., 2016). Then, exercise was performed 3×/wk, with one rest day between the exercise days, during 120 days.

    • Therapeutic potential of annatto tocotrienol with self-emulsifying drug delivery system in a rat model of postmenopausal bone loss

      2021, Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy
      Citation Excerpt :

      In this study, treatment with raloxifene preserved the bone microarchitecture, calcium content and strength. These findings agree with a study by Stringhetta-Garcia et al., which reported that raloxifene prevents bone microarchitecture and strength deterioration in the femoral neck of aged estrogen-deficient Wistar female rats [53]. We suggest that SEDDS-formulated annatto-tocotrienol share the same efficacy as raloxifene in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.

    • Effect of pre-treatment of strength training and raloxifene in periestropause on bone healing

      2020, Bone
      Citation Excerpt :

      After all rats showed estrous cycle irregularity, they were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1: non-trained plus vehicle (NT/Veh n = 30); 2: non-trained plus Ral (NT/Ral, n = 30); 3: ST plus vehicle (ST/Veh n = 30); or 4: ST plus Ral (ST/Ral, n = 30). At the beginning of the 18th month, animals in the NT/Ral and ST/Ral groups received 2.3 mg/kg of Ral (Sigma Aldrich, Munich, Germany) in 0.3 mL of physiological saline solution administered 3×/week by gavage for 120 days, protocol adapted from Stringhetta-Garcia and collaborators [14,15]. Animals in the other treatment groups received a physiological saline solution (0.3 mL) by gavage for the same time period.

    • Strength training reverses ovariectomy-induced bone loss and improve metabolic parameters in female Wistar rats

      2018, Life Sciences
      Citation Excerpt :

      This model is employed in a countless works, making possible the discovery of new drugs and strategies, such as exercise, to improve bone health [6,21–24]. It has been demonstrated that physical exercise attenuates bone mass loss due to mechanical stimulation, improves cardiovascular parameters, has neuroprotective effects, and ensures a good functioning of the metabolic apparatus in intact and ovariectomized rats [7,10,15]. Recently, Chow et al. [25] reported that callus formation in fractured long bones were enhanced by vibration therapy, which improves estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression in osteocytes and the regeneration of this injury due to changes in gene expression.

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text