Browsing by Author "Kohler, Rachel"
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Item Cortical porosity is elevated after a single dose of zoledronate in two rodent models of chronic kidney disease(Elsevier, 2022-02-07) Swallow, Elizabeth A.; Metzger, Corrine E.; Chen, Neal X.; Wallace, Joseph M.; Tippen, Samantha P.; Kohler, Rachel; Moe, Sharon M.; Allen, Matthew R.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of MedicinePurpose: Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have high risk of fracture in part due to cortical bone deterioration. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of two different bisphosphonates and dosing regimens on cortical microstructure (porosity, thickness, area) and bone mechanical properties in animal models of CKD. Methods: In experiment 1, Male Cy/+ (CKD) rats were treated with either a single dose or ten fractionated doses of zoledronate at 18 weeks of age. Fractionated animals received 1/10th of single dose given weekly for 10 weeks, with study endpoint at 28 weeks of age. In experiment 2, male C57Bl/6 J mice were given dietary adenine (0.2%) to induce CKD. Bisphosphonate treated groups were given either a single dose of zoledronate or weekly risedronate injections for 4 weeks. Cortical microstructure was assessed via μCT and mechanical parameters evaluated by monotonic bending tests. Results: Exp 1: CKD rats had higher blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) compared to NL littermate controls. Single dose zoledronate had significantly higher cortical porosity in CKD S.Zol (2.29%) compared to NL control (0.04%) and untreated CKD (0.14%) (p = 0.004). Exp 2: All adenine groups had significantly higher BUN and PTH compared to control mice. Mice treated with single dose zoledronate (Ad + Zol) had the highest porosity (~6%), which was significantly higher compared to either Ad or Ad + Ris (~3%; p < 0.0001) and control mice had the lowest cortical porosity (0.35%). In both experiments, mechanics were minimally affected by any bisphosphonate dosing regimen. Conclusion: A single dose of zoledronate leads to higher cortical porosity compared to more frequent dosing of bisphosphonates (fractionated zoledronate or risedronate). Bisphosphonate treatment demonstrated limited effectiveness in preventing cortical bone microstructure deterioration with mechanical parameters remaining compromised due to CKD and/or secondary hyperparathyroidism irrespective of bisphosphonate treatment.Item The Effect of Single Versus Group μCT on the Detection of Trabecular and Cortical Disease Phenotypes in Mouse Bones(Wiley, 2021-03-05) Kohler, Rachel; Tastad, Carli A.; Stacy, Alexander J.; Swallow, Elizabeth A.; Metzger, Corinne E.; Allen, Matthew R.; Wallace, Joseph M.; Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and TechnologyMicro‐computed tomography is a critical assessment tool for bone‐related preclinical research, especially in murine models. To expedite the scanning process, researchers often image multiple bones simultaneously; however, it is unknown if this impacts scan quality and alters the ability to detect differences between experimental groups. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of multibone scanning on detecting disease‐induced changes in bone microarchitecture and mineral density by group scanning two murine models with known skeletal defects: the Col1a2 G610C/+ model of osteogenesis imperfecta and an adenine‐induced model of chronic kidney disease. Adult male femurs were scanned individually and in random groups of three and eight in a Bruker Skyscan 1172 and 1176, respectively, then assessed for standard trabecular and cortical bone measures. Although scanning methodology altered raw values, with trabecular microarchitecture values more affected than cortical properties, a disease phenotype was still detectable in both group and solo scans. However, tissue mineral density in both trabecular and cortical bone was significantly impacted by group versus solo scanning. Researchers may be able to use small groupings in a single μCT scan to expedite preclinical analyses when the overall bone phenotype is large to decrease costs and increase speed of discoveries; however the details of scanning (single or group) should always be reported.Item Effects of Novel Raloxifene Analogs Alone or in Combination with Mechanical Loading in the Col1a2G610c/+ Murine Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta(Elsevier, 2024) Kohler, Rachel; Creecy, Amy; Williams, David R.; Allen, Matthew R.; Wallace, Joseph M.; Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and EngineeringOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary bone disease in which gene mutations affect collagen formation, leading to a weak, brittle bone phenotype that can cause severe skeletal deformity and increased fracture risk. OI interventions typically repurpose osteoporosis medications to increase bone mass, but this approach does not address compromised tissue-level material properties. Raloxifene (RAL) is a mild anti-resorptive used to treat osteoporosis that has also been shown to increase bone strength by a-cellularly increasing bone bound water content, but RAL cannot be administered to children due to its hormonal activity. The goal of this study was to test a RAL analog with no estrogen receptor (ER) signaling but maintained ability to reduce fracture risk. The best performing analog from a previous analog characterization project, named RAL-ADM, was tested in an in vivo study. Female wildtype (WT) and Col1a2G610C/+ (G610C) mice were randomly assigned to treated or untreated groups, for a total of 4 groups (n = 15). Starting at 10 weeks of age, all mice underwent compressive tibial loading 3×/week to induce an anabolic bone formation response in conjunction with RAL-ADM treatment (0.5 mg/kg; 5×/week) for 6 weeks. Tibiae were scanned via microcomputed tomography then tested to failure in four-point bending. RAL-ADM had reduced ER affinity, and increased post-yield properties, but did not improve bone strength in OI animals, suggesting some properties can be improved by RAL analogs but further development is needed to create an analog with decidedly positive impacts to OI bone.Item Iron deficiency and high-intensity running interval training do not impact femoral or tibial bone in young female rats(Cambridge University Press, 2022) Scott, Jonathan M.; Swallow, Elizabeth A.; Metzger, Corinne E.; Kohler, Rachel; Wallace, Joseph M.; Stacy, Alexander J.; Allen, Matthew R.; Gasier, Heath G.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of MedicineIn the US, as many as 20% of recruits sustain stress fractures during basic training. In addition, approximately one-third of female recruits develop iron deficiency upon completion of training. Iron is a cofactor in bone collagen formation and vitamin D activation, thus we hypothesized iron deficiency may be contributing to altered bone microarchitecture and mechanics during 12-weeks of increased mechanical loading. Three-week old female Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: iron adequate sedentary, iron deficient sedentary, iron adequate exercise, and iron deficient exercise. Exercise consisted of high-intensity treadmill running (54 min 3×/week). After 12-weeks, serum bone turnover markers, femoral geometry and microarchitecture, mechanical properties and fracture toughness, and tibiae mineral composition and morphometry were measured. Iron deficiency increased the bone resorption markers C-terminal telopeptide type I collagen and tartate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAcP 5b). In exercised rats, iron deficiency further increased bone TRAcP 5b, while in iron adequate rats, exercise increased the bone formation marker procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide. In the femur, exercise increased cortical thickness and maximum load. In the tibia, iron deficiency increased the rate of bone formation, mineral apposition, and zinc content. These data show that the femur and tibia structure and mechanical properties are not negatively impacted by iron deficiency despite a decrease in tibiae iron content and increase in serum bone resorption markers during 12-weeks of high-intensity running in young growing female rats.Item Iron deficiency and high-intensity running interval training do not impact femoral or tibial bone in young female rats(Cambridge University Press, 2022-10-28) Scott, Jonathan M.; Swallow, Elizabeth A.; Metzger, Corinne E.; Kohler, Rachel; Wallace, Joseph M.; Stacy, Alexander J.; Allen, Matthew R.; Gasier, Heath G.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of MedicineIn the US, as many as 20% of recruits sustain stress fractures during basic training. In addition, approximately one-third of female recruits develop iron deficiency upon completion of training. Iron is a cofactor in bone collagen formation and vitamin D activation, thus we hypothesized iron deficiency may be contributing to altered bone microarchitecture and mechanics during 12-weeks of increased mechanical loading. Three-week old female Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: iron adequate sedentary, iron deficient sedentary, iron adequate exercise, and iron deficient exercise. Exercise consisted of high-intensity treadmill running (54 min 3×/week). After 12-weeks, serum bone turnover markers, femoral geometry and microarchitecture, mechanical properties and fracture toughness, and tibiae mineral composition and morphometry were measured. Iron deficiency increased the bone resorption markers C-terminal telopeptide type I collagen and tartate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAcP 5b). In exercised rats, iron deficiency further increased bone TRAcP 5b, while in iron adequate rats, exercise increased the bone formation marker procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide. In the femur, exercise increased cortical thickness and maximum load. In the tibia, iron deficiency increased the rate of bone formation, mineral apposition, and zinc content. These data show that the femur and tibia structure and mechanical properties are not negatively impacted by iron deficiency despite a decrease in tibiae iron content and increase in serum bone resorption markers during 12-weeks of high-intensity running in young growing female rats.Item Limited Impacts of Thermoneutral Housing on Bone Morphology and Mechanical Properties in Growing Female Mice Exposed to External Loading and Raloxifene Treatment(Elsevier, 2021) Tastad, Carli A.; Kohler, Rachel; Wallace, Joseph M.; Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and TechnologyThermoregulation is an important factor that could have physiological consequences on pre-clinical research outcomes. Simply housing mice at thermoneutral temperature has been shown to prevent the well-established loss of cancellous bone that is typical in growing mice. In this study, active tissue formation was induced by non-invasive tibial loading in female mice and combined with raloxifene treatment to assess whether temperature could enhance their combined effects on bone morphology and mechanical properties. It was hypothesized that by removing the cold stress under which normal lab mice are housed, a metabolic boost would allow for further architectural and mechanical improvements in mice exposed to a combination of tibial loading and raloxifene. Ten-week old female C57BL/6J mice were treated with raloxifene, underwent tibial loading to a maximum tensile stress of 2050 με, and were housed in thermoneutral conditions (32 °C) for 6 weeks. We investigated bone morphology through microcomputed tomography (μCT), mechanical properties via four-point bending, and fracture toughness testing. Results confirmed previous work showing a combined effect of external loading and raloxifene which led to greater improvements in most properties than either individual treatment. Counter to the hypothesis, temperature had modest effects on body weight, overall bone size, and trabecular architecture, and most effects were detrimental. Thermoneutrality had no impact on mechanical integrity or fracture toughness. In most cases, the magnitude of temperature-based effects were less robust than either RAL treatment or loading.Item Morphological and mechanical characterization of bone phenotypes in the Amish G610C murine model of osteogenesis imperfecta(PLOS, 2021-08-27) Kohler, Rachel; Tastad, Carli A.; Creecy, Amy; Wallace, Joseph M.; Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and TechnologyOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary bone disease where gene mutations affect Type I collagen formation resulting in osteopenia and increased fracture risk. There are several established mouse models of OI, but some are severe and result in spontaneous fractures or early animal death. The Amish Col1a2G610C/+ (G610C) mouse model is a newer, moderate OI model that is currently being used in a variety of intervention studies, with differing background strains, sexes, ages, and bone endpoints. This study is a comprehensive mechanical and architectural characterization of bone in G610C mice bred on a C57BL/6 inbred strain and will provide a baseline for future treatment studies. Male and female wild-type (WT) and G610C mice were euthanized at 10 and 16 weeks (n = 13-16). Harvested tibiae, femora, and L4 vertebrae were scanned via micro-computed tomography and analyzed for cortical and trabecular architectural properties. Femora and tibiae were then mechanically tested to failure. G610C mice had less bone but more highly mineralized cortical and trabecular tissue than their sex- and age-matched WT counterparts, with cortical cross-sectional area, thickness, and mineral density, and trabecular bone volume, mineral density, spacing, and number all differing significantly as a function of genotype (2 Way ANOVA with main effects of sex and genotype at each age). In addition, mechanical yield force, ultimate force, displacement, strain, and toughness were all significantly lower in G610C vs. WT, highlighting a brittle phenotype. This characterization demonstrates that despite being a moderate OI model, the Amish G610C mouse model maintains a distinctly brittle phenotype and is well-suited for use in future intervention studies.Item Romosozumab rescues impaired bone mass and strength in a murine model of diabetic kidney disease(Elsevier, 2024-05-12) Kohler, Rachel; Segvich, Dyann M.; Reul, Olivia; Metzger, Corinne E.; Allen, Matthew R.; Wallace, Joseph M.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of MedicineAs international incidence of diabetes and diabetes-driven comorbidities such as chronic kidney disease (CKD) continue to climb, interventions are needed that address the high-risk skeletal fragility of what is a complex disease state. Romosozumab (Romo) is an FDA-approved sclerostin inhibitor that has been shown to increase bone mineral density and decrease fracture rates in osteoporotic patients with mild to severe CKD, but its effect on diabetes-weakened bone is unknown. We aimed to test Romo's performance in a model of combined diabetes and CKD. 6-week old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control (CON) and disease model (STZ-Ad) groups, using a previously established streptozotocin- and adenine-diet-induced model. After 16 weeks of disease induction, both CON and STZ-Ad groups were subdivided into two treatment groups and given weekly subcutaneous injections of 100 μL vehicle (phosphorus buffered saline, PBS) or 10 mg/kg Romo. Mice were euthanized after 4 weeks of treatment via cardiac exsanguination and cervical dislocation. Hindlimb bones and L4 vertebrae were cleaned of soft tissue, wrapped in PBS-soaked gauze and stored at —20C. Right tibiae, femora, and L4s were scanned via microcomputed tomography; tibiae were then tested to failure in 4-pt bending while L4s were compression tested. Romo treatment significantly increased cortical and trabecular bone mass in both STZ-Ad and CON animals. These morphological improvements created corresponding increases in cortical bending strength and trabecular compression strength, with STZ-Ad treated mice surpassing vehicle CON mice in all trabecular mechanics measures. These results suggest that Romo retains its efficacy at increasing bone mass and strength in diabetic kidney disease.Item Sex hormone deficiency in male and female mice expressing the Alzheimer’s disease-associated risk-factor TREM2 R47H variant impacts the musculoskeletal system in a sex- and genotype-dependent manner(Oxford University Press, 2024-11-13) Pianeta, Roquelina; Deosthale, Padmini; Sanz, Natasha; Kohler, Rachel; Okpara, Chiebuka; Arnett, Matthew; Asad, Iqra; Rogers, Amber; Gerbig, Madison; Essex, Alyson; Liu, Ziyue; Wallace, Joseph M.; Plotkin, Lilian I.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of MedicineThe R47H variant of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease in humans and leads to lower bone mass accrual in female but not male 12-mo-old mice. To determine whether, as with aging, gonadectomy results in sex-specific musculoskeletal effects, gonad removal or SHAM surgery was performed in 4-mo-old TREM2R47H/+ mice and WT male and female littermates (n = 10-12/group), with sexes analyzed separately. Body weight was lower in males, but higher in females after gonadectomy, independently of their genotype. Gonadectomy also leads to decreased BMD in males at all sites and in the whole body (total) and spine in female mice for both genotypes. Total and femur BMD was lower in gonadectomized male mice 6-wk post-surgery, independently of the genotype. On the other hand, BMD was only lower in ovariectomized WT but not TREM2R47H/+ mice in all sites measured at this time point. Bone formation and resorption marker levels were not affected by orchiectomy, whereas CTX was higher 3 wk after surgery and P1NP showed a tendency toward lower values at the 6-wk time point only in ovariectomized WT mice. Micro-CT analyses showed no differences resulting from gonadectomy in structural parameters in femoral cortical bone for either sex, but lower tissue mineral density in males of either genotype 6-wk post-surgery. Nevertheless, biomechanical properties were overall lower in gonadectomized males of either genotype, and only for WT ovariectomized mice. Distal femur cancellous bone structure was also affected by gonadectomy in a genotype- and sex-dependent manner, with genotype-independent changes in males, and only in WT female mice. Thus, expression of the TREM2 R47H variant minimally alters the impact of gonadectomy in the musculoskeletal system in males, whereas it partially ameliorates the consequences of ovariectomy in female mice.Item Skeletal manifestations in a streptozotocin-induced C57BL/6 model of Type 1 diabetes(Elsevier, 2022-08-01) Hatch, Jennifer M.; Segvich, Dyann M.; Kohler, Rachel; Wallace, Joseph M.; Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and TechnologyDiabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease which profoundly affects many organ systems in the body, including the skeleton. As is often the case with biology, there are inherent differences between the sexes when considering skeletal development and disease progression and outcome. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a protocol to reliably induce diabetes in both sexes of the C57BL/6 mouse utilizing streptozotocin (STZ) and to characterize the resulting bone phenotype. We hypothesized that destruction of the β-cells in the pancreatic islet by STZ would result in a diabetic state with downstream skeletal manifestations. Beginning at 8 weeks of age, mice were injected for 5 consecutive days with STZ (65 mg/kg males, 90 mg/kg females) dissolved in a citrate buffer. The diabetic state of the mice was monitored for 5 weeks to ensure persistent hyperglycemia and mice were euthanized at 15 weeks of age. Diabetes was confirmed through blood glucose monitoring, glucose and insulin tolerance testing, HbA1c measurement, and histological staining of the pancreas. The resulting bone phenotype was characterized using microcomputed tomography to assess bone structure, and whole bone mechanical testing to assess bone functional integrity. Mice from both sexes experienced loss of β-cell mass and increased glycation of hemoglobin, as well as reduced trabecular thickness and trabecular tissues mineral density (TMD), and reduced cortical thickness and cortical bone area fraction. In female mice the change area fraction was driven by a reduction in overall bone size while in male mice, the change was driven by increased marrow area. Males also experienced reduced cortical TMD. Mechanical bending tests of the tibiae showed significant results in females with a reduction in yield force and ultimate force driving lower work to yield and total work and a roughly 40 % reduction of stiffness. When tissue level parameters were estimated using beam theory, there was a significant reduction in yield and ultimate stresses as well as elastic modulus. The previously reported mechanistic similarity in the action of STZ on murine animals, as well as the ease of STZ administration via IP injection make this model is a strong candidate for future exploration of osteoporotic bone disease, Diabetes Mellitus, and the link between estrogen and glucose sensitivity.