Bone and Cellular Immune System of Multiparous Sows are Insensitive to Ovariectomy and Nutritive Calcium Shortage

Abstract

of diverse porcine organ systems to their human analogues, the pig ' s usefulness as an osteologic model species is still not entirely clear. However, even though porcine femoral compact bone is predominantly plexiforme, it is converted to well-developed osteonal bone earlier than in sheep [3] . Peak bone mass is obtained with an age of 2 -3 years. The main body of investigations in this area of research was performed using growing minipigs, which, however, might not appropriately refl ect the situation of the postmenopausal osteoporotic woman due to their juvenile age and dwarfi sm. On the other hand, minipigs achieve sexual maturity earlier than conventional pigs and thus OVX may induce the desired phenotype earlier than in conventional sows. OVX in 10 months old minipigs resulted in a 6 % decrease in bone mineral density (BMD), 15 % in bone volume (BV), and 13 % in trabecular number, and an increase of 15 % in trabecular separation after 6 months, whereas OVX in combination with a mild nutritive calcium shortage (0.75 % Ca 2 + ), which had been started already at

Advances in Osteoimmunology: Pathophysiologic Concepts and Treatment Opportunities

“…In the porcine model, RANKL inhibition by rhOPG led to an immediate and significant decrease in serum calcium, phosphorus, and bone turnover markers. Also, µCT analysis of selected bone sites demonstrated an OPG-induced improvement of specific bone architectural indices and bone mineralization [47]. In a similar fashion, cynomolgus macaques responded with significantly depressed bone turnover markers as well as an increase in the bone strength index [48].…”

“…has received research support and/or honoraria from: Amgen GmbH, Eli Lilly GmbH, Leo Pharma, Merck, Sharp & Dohme GmbH, Nycomed Pharma, Novartis Pharma, Roche Austria, Servier Austria, Institute des Recherches Internationales Servier, Shire, and Sanofi-Aventis. The OPG treatment study of pigs [47] performed by W.S. was financially supported by Amgen, Thousand Oaks, Calif., USA.…”

Are pigs a suitable model species for osteoporosis research?

“…Additionally we tested for alterations in the immune system by means of flow cytometric analyses of PBMC populations and systemic cytokine profiles due to the afore-mentioned importance of the immune system for bone health and disease, which had not been done before in pigs. Unsatisfactorily, we could not induce any osteoporotic phenotype or changes in cellular immunity in these animals [6]. On the other hand, GC treatment in adult minipigs induces significant changes in bone architecture and strength, thus partially resembling osteoporosis in postmenopausal women [7].…”

OPG-Fc Treatment in Growing Pigs Leads to Rapid Reductions in Bone Resorption Markers, Serum Calcium, and Bone Formation Markers

“…lated during in vitro osteoclastogenesis and expressed by a variety of diff erent cell types including bone marrow stromal cells and immunocytes in pigs [ 7 ] . Recently, we demonstrated that the skeleton of adult, multiparous sows is unresponsive to diff erent mechanisms of action having severe impact on bone metabolism and structure in other species [ 8 ] . Therefore, we decided to investigate the eff ects of OPG-Fc on bone metabolism markers and bone microstructure of juvenile, growing pigs experiencing much more skeletal plasticity.…”