Although osteopenia has been associated with human diabetes mellitus, the pathogenesis of diabetic osteopenia is unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of diabetes on histomorphometry, bone mineral density (BMD)-measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-and biomarkers of bone metabolism in rats up to 120 days after the onset of experimental diabetes. Female Wistar rats with a regular estrous cycle were randomly divided into two groups: control rats (n = 15) and diabetic rats without insulin treatment (n = 25). Diabetes was induced by injection of alloxan and was confirmed by the determination of blood glucose concentration (>250 mg/dl). The results revealed an approximate threefold increase of femoral trabecular distance in diabetic rats compared to controls. Conversely, trabecular thickness and bone trabecular volume were reduced twofold and 77%, respectively. BMD in both the metadiaphyseal region and total area of the femur was found to be clearly reduced in diabetic animals, with no significant differences between the groups. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and tartarate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activities showed significant six- and twofold increases, respectively, in diabetic rats. There were significant decreases in serum calcium and albumin concentrations in diabetic rats, but no difference was observed in serum magnesium, phosphorus, or creatinine concentrations between the groups. Overall, our findings support the conclusion that the diabetic state is associated with alterations in bone turnover, resulting in the development of osteopenia, which is related to the time of evolution of the disorder.

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Congenital generalized lipodystrophy (CGL) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in AGPAT2 and Gng3lg. We screened for mutations in AGPAT2 and Gng3lg in 26 families with CGL and one family with Brunzell syndrome. We found mutations in either AGPAT2 or Gng3lg in all but four probands, including three novel mutations in AGPAT2, A712T (Lys215X), IVS3-1G-->C, and C636A (Phe189X). In three siblings with Brunzell syndrome, we identified a splice site mutation (IVS4-2A-->G) in AGPAT2, showing that AGPAT2 mutations can also cause Brunzell syndrome. Eighteen CGL patients from 15 families from the same region of northeastern Brazil were homozygous for a frameshift mutation (669insA of AF05149) in Gng3lg. Despite having the same mutation, the subjects had widely divergent clinical manifestations. In our subjects, there did not appear to be any distinguishing clinical characteristics between CGL subjects with AGPAT2 or Gng3lg mutations with the exception of mental retardation in carriers of Gng3lg. In summary, mutations in AGPAT2 and Gng3lg are approximately equally represented in CGL; despite harboring the same Gng3lg mutation, subjects may have widely divergent clinical manifestations, suggesting modifying influences of other genes and/or environment; and Brunzell syndrome may be caused by a mutation in AGPAT2.

In addition to its antiinflammatory properties, the protective effects of simvastatin in infected open skin wounds is able to reduce infection and probably has antibacterial action. The potential to treat these wounds with statins to ameliorate inflammation and infection is promising.