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Pulsed electromagnetic fields inhibit bone loss in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Endocrine volume 49, pages 258–266 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Evidences have shown that pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) can partially prevent bone loss in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. However, the precise mechanisms accounting for these favorable effects are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PEMFs on bone mass and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in STZ rats. Thirty 3-month-old Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following three groups (n = 10): control group (injection of saline vehicle), DM group (injection of STZ), and PEMFs group (injection of STZ + PEMFs exposure). One week following injection of STZ, rats in the PEMFs group were subject to PEMFs stimulus for 40 min/day, 5 days/week, and lasted for 12 weeks. After 12 week intervention, the results showed that PEMFs increased serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase level and bone mineral density, and inhibited deterioration of bone microarchitecture and strength in STZ rats. Furthermore, PEMFs up-regulated the mRNA expressions of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5, β-catenin and runt-related gene 2 (Runx2), and down-regulated dickkopf1 in STZ rats. However, mRNA expressions of RANKL and OPG were not affected by PEMFs. PEMFs can prevent the diabetes-induced bone loss and reverse the deterioration of bone microarchitecture and strength by restoring Runx2 expression through regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, regardless of its no glucose lowering effect.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Shiju Chen,MD, and Huifang Liu, MD, for assisting in language editing of this manuscript. We thank Health Department of Hunan Province, China (NO. B2014-052) for the financial support.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People’s Republic of China

    Jun Zhou, Ying Liao, Weibing Feng, Chengxiao Fu & Xin Guo

  2. Hunan Polytechnic of Environment and Biology, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, People’s Republic of China

    Xinhong Li

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  1. Jun Zhou
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Correspondence to Jun Zhou.

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Zhou, J., Li, X., Liao, Y. et al. Pulsed electromagnetic fields inhibit bone loss in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Endocrine 49, 258–266 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-014-0439-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-014-0439-z

Keywords

  • Pulsed electromagnetic fields
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Streptozotocin
  • RANKL/OPG
  • Wnt/β-catenin signaling