Raloxifene Prevents Skeletal Fragility in Adult Female Zucker Diabetic Sprague-Dawley Rats

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0108262
• Publication Date: 2014-09-22T18:03:51Z
• Authors: Kathleen M. Hill ...; Maxime A. Gallant; Drew M. Brown; Amy Y. Sato; Justin N. Williams; David B. Burr
• Keywords: Raloxifene; Glycated hemoglobin

Fracture risk in type 2 diabetes is increased despite normal or high bone mineral density, implicating poor quality as a factor. Raloxifene improves material and mechanical properties independent of density. This study aimed to determine if raloxifene prevents the negative effects on skeletal fragility diabetes-prone rats. Adult Zucker Diabetic Sprague-Dawley (ZDSD) female rats (20-week-old, n = 24) were fed diabetogenic high-fat diet randomized receive daily subcutaneous injections vehicle for 12 weeks. Blood glucose was measured weekly glycated hemoglobin at baseline At sacrifice, femora lumbar vertebrae harvested imaging testing. Raloxifene-treated had lower incidence compared with vehicle-treated In addition, raloxifene-treated blood levels significantly than both diabetic well that did not become diabetic. Femoral toughness greater non-diabetic ZDSD rats, due energy absorption post-yield region stress-strain curve. Similar differences between groups observed structural (extrinsic) energy-to-failure, displacement. These results show beneficial preventing onset improving rat. presents unique therapeutic potential preserving prevention, these can be supported by future experimental clinical studies.