Whole‐body vibration protects against chronic high‐altitude hypoxic bone loss by regulating the nitric oxide/HIF‐1α axis in osteoblasts

• DOI: 10.1096/fj.202402629r
• Publication Date: 2025-02-11T09:58:38Z
• Authors: Dan Wang; Ruobing Liu; Yuanjun Ding; Qilin Pei; Tao Sun; Xi Shao; Maogang Jiang; Juan Liu; Jinghui Huang; Zedong Yan; Xiaoxia Hao; Da Jing; Jing Cai
• Keywords: Hypoxia; Hypobaric chamber

Abstract The hypobaric hypoxia environment found at high altitudes imposes various reversible and irreversible detrimental effects on living organisms. Accumulating evidence suggests that negatively impacts skeleton health by diminishing bone quality disrupting microarchitecture. However, therapeutic strategies to counteract this loss remain limited. This study investigates the impact of whole‐body vibration (WBV) stimulation skeletal rats continuously exposed simulated an altitude 4500 m for 6 weeks. We WBV 30 Hz 0.3 g significantly improved femoral mass, microarchitecture, biomechanical properties in chronic hypoxia. Additionally, vitro studies demonstrated enhanced osteogenic potential activity primary osteoblasts under conditions. It also reduced levels hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α), a key transcription involved cellular response Conversely, overexpression HIF‐1α inhibited differentiation osteogenesis hypoxic Furthermore, led significant increase nitric oxide (NO) concentrations during exposure. In experiments showed blocking NO synthesis with L‐NAME impeded WBV‐stimulated hypoxia‐exposed osteoblasts. vivo inhibiting similarly abolished positive microarchitecture Collectivity, our findings indicate protects against hypoxia‐induced regulating NO/HIF‐1α axis osteoblasts, reveal its clinical as promising non‐invasive approach.