Effects of low-intensity pulsed electromagnetic fields on bone microarchitecture, mechanical strength and bone turnover in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.


Author: Li J1,2, Zeng Z3, Zhao Y4, Jing D5, Tang C2, Ding Y6, Feng X7

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, P.R. China.

<sup>2</sup>Department of Stomatology, the 306th Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100037, P.R. China.

<sup>3</sup>Department of Stomatology, General Hospital of Shenyang Military Area Command, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110015, P.R. China.

<sup>4</sup>Beijing Engineering Research Center of Orthopedic Implants, the First Affiliated Hospital of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100048, P.R. China.

<sup>5</sup>Department of Biomedical Engineering, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, P.R. China.

<sup>6</sup>State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, P.R. China. dingyin@fmmu.edu.cn.

<sup>7</sup>State Key Laboratory of Military Stomatology, Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710032, P.R. China. prof.fengxue@outlook.com.
Conference/Journal: Sci Rep.
Date published: 2017 Sep 7
Other:
 Volume ID: 7   ,  Issue ID: 1   ,  Pages: 10834   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-11090-7.   ,  Word Count: 210  
    Type 2 diabetic patients have impaired bone quality, leading to increased fracture risk. Substantial evidence demonstrates that pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) could resist osteopenia/osteoporosis induced by estrogen deficiency and disuse. However, the effects of PEMF on osteopenia/osteoporosis associated with diabetes, especially for more prevalent type 2 diabetes, remain poorly understood. We herein investigated the skeletal effects and mechanisms of PEMF (15 Hz, 20 Gs) on leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice with typical type 2 diabetic symptoms. Our µCT results showed that 12-week PEMF exposure significantly improved both cancellous and cortical bone microarchitecture in db/db mice. Three-point bending and biomechanical indentation testing demonstrated that PEMF improved whole-bone structural properties and tissue-level material properties in db/db mice. PEMF significantly promoted bone formation in db/db mice evidenced by increased serum osteocalcin and bone mineral apposition rate, whereas PEMF exerted no observable alteration in bone resorption. Real-time PCR showed that PEMF upregulated tibial gene expression of osteoblastogenesis-related of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling but not osteoclastogenesis-related RANKL-RANK signaling in db/db mice. Our findings demonstrate that PEMF improved bone quantity and quality with obvious anabolic activities in db/db mice, and imply that PEMF might become a clinically applicable treatment modality for improving bone quality in type 2 diabetic patients.



PMID: 28883516  DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11090-7