[Sex-specific analysis of bone mass in normal and growth hormone transgenic mice using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)].
The aim of the present study was the non-invasive, sex-specific measurement of bone mass in bovine growth hormone (bGH) transgenic mice and normal controls with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The transgenic mouse constitutes a suitable animal model to study the influence of growth hormone on the skeletal system. We analysed 28 animals, aged 12 weeks (14 transgenic, 14 controls, 7 male and 7 female, respectively), using a peripheral DXA scanner that had been adapted to the measurement of small animals. At a measurement time of 20 min, the precision (RMS average CV%) was 4.4% for bone mass (BMC), 2.5% for areal bone density (BMD), 0.86% for total body weight and 4.5% for the percentage BMC (relative to body weight). While the absolute bone mass was not significantly different between male and female animals, we found a higher percentage of the BMC relative to the total bone mass in females (+21% in controls, +31% in transgenics; p < 0.01). The absolute bone mass was higher in the transgenic animals (+71% in females and +62% in males; p < 0.01), but relative to the body weight the transgenic females yielded similar and the transgenic males lower values (-7.2%; p < 0.05). Using DXA it is possible to non-invasively determine the mass of mineralised tissue in the mouse with relatively high precision and to effectively discriminate between different groups. Although a strong influence of growth hormone on the absolute bone mass is observed, the results show that this increase is not higher than that of the total body mass.
Lochmüller
E M
EM
I. Frauenklinik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany.
Weusten
A
A
Wolf
E
E
Cindik
E
E
Renner-Müller
I
I
Eikmeier
T
T
Eckstein
F
F
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D013006:Growth Hormone