Effect of osteoporosis induced by ovariectomy on vertebral bone defect/fracture in rat

// Geng-Yang Shen 1,* , Hui Ren 1,* , Jing-Jing Tang 2 , Ting Qiu 1 , Zhi-Da Zhang 1 , Wen-Hua Zhao 1 , Xiang Yu 1 , Jin-Jing Huang 1 , De Liang 2 , Zhen-Song Yao 2 , Zhi-Dong Yang 2 and Xiao-Bing Jiang 2,3 1 Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China 2 Department of Spinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China 3 Laboratory Affiliated to National Key Discipline of Orthopaedic and Traumatology of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China * These authors have contributed equally to this study Correspondence to: Xiao-bing Jiang, email: // Keywords : osteoporosis, vertebral bone defect/fracture, ovariectomy, rat, Pathology Section Received : May 18, 2017 Accepted : August 06, 2017 Published : September 01, 2017 Abstract Osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) is a worldwide health concern and lacks sufficient basic studies. Suitable animal models should be the foundation for basic study and treatment of OVF. There have been few studies on the development of animal models of osteoporotic vertebral bone defects. OVF models using various animal species should be developed to evaluate the therapeutic strategy in preclinical testing. We developed an OVF model in rats. Rat osteoporosis was induced by ovariectomy (OVX), and 3 months after OVX, a 3 mm diameter hemispheric vertebral bone defect was developed in lumbar vertebra 6 (L6). Sagittal plain X-rays of the rats, their bone quantity, bone microarchitecture, and histomorphology were analyzed: 3 months after OVX, rats showed significantly lower bone quantity, relative bone volume, and total volume bone mineral density. After the vertebral bone defect had developed for 16 weeks, no significant indication of self-healing could be observed from the sagittal plain X-rays, three-dimensional images, and histomorphology. These results indicate that the rat model of osteoporotic vertebral bone defect, induced by OVX and a 3 mm diameter hemispheric vertebral bone defect, can sufficiently mimic OVF patients in clinic and provide a sound basis for subsequent studies.