{"title":"Glucocorticoids on bone remodeling in systemic lupus erythematosus mice.","authors":"Sheng Hao, Yuyun Zhang, Xiaowei Tong, Fangkai Ding, Runjie Wang, Jing Zhang, Dan Feng, Xiaoling Niu, Wenyan Huang","doi":"10.1038/s41390-025-03861-0","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Systemic lupus erythematosus requires glucocorticoids for management. This study investigates how glucocorticoids influence bone in a SLE mouse model, focusing on bone mineral density (BMD), microstructure, and remodeling markers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>MRL/lpr and C57BL/6 mice were administered dexamethasone or saline as a control for 4-weeks. Bone assessments included analyses of BMD, bone structure, and serum levels of RANKL and OPG.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Dexamethasone decreased BMD and altered cortical and trabecular bone thickness in both MRL/lpr and C57BL/6 mice. In C57BL/6 mice, cortical bone exhibited increased catabolism while trabecular bone showed signs of increased anabolism, whereas MRL/lpr mice did not show significant changes in bone turnover. Both strains experienced weight loss, with a significant decrease in femur length observed only in C57BL/6 mice. Dexamethasone exacerbated BMD reduction in MRL/lpr mice and halted its increase in C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice exhibited notable changes in cortical and trabecular bone structure, while MRL/lpr mice didn't. After receiving dexamethasone, both strains showed higher serum RANKL levels, especially in C57BL/6 mice. OPG decreased in both strains.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Both glucocorticoids and SLE contribute to abnormal bone remodeling through RANKL/OPG pathway.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) leads to significant changes in bone parameters, including decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and alterations in bone structure. Those change are associated with the modulation of RANKL and OPG expression. Both GC and inflammation in SLE contribute to BMD reduction, and GC may have a certain protective effect on bone in the early stage of chronic inflammation. GC can upregulate RANKL expression and downregulate OPG expression in vivo. During a state of chronic inflammation, RANKL expression increases. However, OPG may not exert a significant influence on inflammatory stimulation.</p>","PeriodicalId":19829,"journal":{"name":"Pediatric Research","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pediatric Research","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-025-03861-0","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PEDIATRICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus requires glucocorticoids for management. This study investigates how glucocorticoids influence bone in a SLE mouse model, focusing on bone mineral density (BMD), microstructure, and remodeling markers.
Methods: MRL/lpr and C57BL/6 mice were administered dexamethasone or saline as a control for 4-weeks. Bone assessments included analyses of BMD, bone structure, and serum levels of RANKL and OPG.
Results: Dexamethasone decreased BMD and altered cortical and trabecular bone thickness in both MRL/lpr and C57BL/6 mice. In C57BL/6 mice, cortical bone exhibited increased catabolism while trabecular bone showed signs of increased anabolism, whereas MRL/lpr mice did not show significant changes in bone turnover. Both strains experienced weight loss, with a significant decrease in femur length observed only in C57BL/6 mice. Dexamethasone exacerbated BMD reduction in MRL/lpr mice and halted its increase in C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice exhibited notable changes in cortical and trabecular bone structure, while MRL/lpr mice didn't. After receiving dexamethasone, both strains showed higher serum RANKL levels, especially in C57BL/6 mice. OPG decreased in both strains.
Conclusion: Both glucocorticoids and SLE contribute to abnormal bone remodeling through RANKL/OPG pathway.
Impact: Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) leads to significant changes in bone parameters, including decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and alterations in bone structure. Those change are associated with the modulation of RANKL and OPG expression. Both GC and inflammation in SLE contribute to BMD reduction, and GC may have a certain protective effect on bone in the early stage of chronic inflammation. GC can upregulate RANKL expression and downregulate OPG expression in vivo. During a state of chronic inflammation, RANKL expression increases. However, OPG may not exert a significant influence on inflammatory stimulation.
期刊介绍：
Pediatric Research publishes original papers, invited reviews, and commentaries on the etiologies of children''s diseases and
disorders of development, extending from molecular biology to epidemiology. Use of model organisms and in vitro techniques
relevant to developmental biology and medicine are acceptable, as are translational human studies
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