A Study of Osteopenia in STZ-induced Diabetic Rats

In order to investigate the pathophysiology of diabetic osteopenia, serum levels of bone γ-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein (BGP) and bone contents of BGP were measured in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Both of Serum levels of BGP and bone contents of BGP in diabetic group were significantly decreased compared to those in control group (P<0.01). Since a relationship between serum levels of BGP and bone turnover has been previously established, the low serum BGP suggests that there is a decrease in bone turnover in diabetic rats. We postulate, therefore, that the low bone turnover is one of the pathological features of diabetic osteopenia and at least in part responsible for the occurrence of this complication in diabetes mellitus.