title: Bone and cellular immune system of multiparous sows are insensitive to ovariectomy and nutritive calcium shortage.
abstract: Research in osteoporosis, which is a complex systemic disease, demands suitable large animal models. In pigs, most research has been done in growing minipigs, which probably are not ideal models for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Therefore, our aim was to analyze the effects of ovariectomy (OVX) and nutritive calcium shortage on multiparous Large White sows. 32 animals were randomly assigned to 4 groups in a cross design with OVX vs. sham and physiological calcium supplementation (0.75% calcium) vs. dietary calcium shortage (0.3% calcium). The observation period was 10 months with blood sampling every 2 months for hematological, immunological, and biochemical bone marker measurements. At the termination of the experiment, animals were sacrificed. Samples of trabecular bone of distal radius, proximal tibia, and sixth lumbar vertebra were subjected to micro-computed tomography imaging and ashed afterwards. Dual X-ray absorptiometry scans of the proximal femora were performed with prepared bones being placed in a water bath for mimicking soft tissue. Analyses of bone marker and cytokine profile kinetics, distribution of leukocyte subpopulations, and morphometrical and densitometrical analyses showed no evidence of any impact of OVX or calcium shortage. In conclusion, the skeleton of adult sows of a conventional breed is seemingly protected from effects of OVX and calcium shortage.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Swine, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria. wolfgang.sipos@vetmeduni.ac.at
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sipos
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kralicek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rauner
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Duvigneau
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Worliczek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schamall
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hartl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sommerfeld-Stur
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dall'Ara
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varga
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Resch
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Schwendenwein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zysset
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietschmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003720:Densitometry; D005260:Female; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010298:Parity / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D034421:Sus scrofa; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D006728:Hormones