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Home / Comparative Medicine, Volume 52, Number 3

Open Access Effect of Age on Bone Mineral Density and the Serum Concentration of Endogenous Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors in Rats

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Authors: Lu, Rong 1 ; Hu, Chang-Ping 1 ; Wu, Xian-Ping 2 ; Liao, Er-Yuan 2 ; Li, Yuan-Jian 1 ; 

Source: Comparative Medicine, Volume 52, Number 3, June 2002, pp. 224-228(5)

Publisher: American Association for Laboratory Animal Science

Results of previous studies have indicated that bone mineral density (BMD) is decreased in aged animals and elderly humans, and that treatment with nitric oxide (NO) donors prevents bone loss. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, can inhibit NO synthesis. In the study reported here, we examined age-related changes in the serum content of ADMA and in BMD in various skeletal regions. The BMD in the lumbar part of the spine, the femur, and the tibia in 12-month-old rats was markedly increased, compared with that in 6-month-old rats, and the BMD in 20-month-old rats was decreased, compared with that in 12-month-old rats. Serum concentration of ADMA in 20-month-old rats was significantly increased, compared with that in 6- or 12-month-old rats. A similar age-related change in the concentration of lipid peroxide also was seen in the three age groups. These results suggest that the increased amount of endogenous ADMA may be associated with an age-related decrease in BMD in rats.

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Department of Pharmacology, Xiang-Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, People's Republic of China 2: Institute of Metabolism and Endocrinology, Xiang-Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, People's Republic of China

Publication date: 01 June 2002

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  • Comparative Medicine (CM), an international journal of comparative and experimental medicine, is the leading English-language publication in the field and is ranked by the Science Citation Index in the upper third of all scientific journals. The mission of CM is to disseminate high-quality, peer-reviewed information that expands biomedical knowledge and promotes human and animal health through the study of laboratory animal disease, animal models of disease, and basic biologic mechanisms related to disease in people and animals.

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