title: Short-Term Effect of Estrogen on Human Bone Marrow Fat.
abstract: Bone marrow fat, an unique component of the bone marrow cavity increases with aging and menopause and is inversely related to bone mass. Sex steroids may be involved in the regulation of bone marrow fat, because men have higher bone marrow fat than women and clinical observations have suggested that the variation in bone marrow fat fraction is greater in premenopausal compared to postmenopausal women and men. We hypothesized that the menstrual cycle and/or estrogen affects the bone marrow fat fraction. First, we measured vertebral bone marrow fat fraction with Dixon Quantitative Chemical Shift MRI (QCSI) twice a week during 1 month in 10 regularly ovulating women. The vertebral bone marrow fat fraction increased 0.02 (95% CI, 0.00 to 0.03) during the follicular phase (p = 0.033), and showed a nonsignificant decrease of 0.02 (95% CI, -0.01 to 0.04) during the luteal phase (p = 0.091). To determine the effect of estrogen on bone marrow fat, we measured vertebral bone marrow fat fraction every week for 6 consecutive weeks in 6 postmenopausal women before, during, and after 2 weeks of oral 17-β estradiol treatment (2 mg/day). Bone marrow fat fraction decreased by 0.05 (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.09) from 0.48 (95% CI, 0.42 to 0.53) to 0.43 (95% CI, 0.34 to 0.51) during 17-β estradiol administration (p < 0.001) and increased again after cessation. During 17-β estradiol administration the bone formation marker procollagen type I N propeptide (P1NP) increased (p = 0.034) and the bone resorption marker C-terminal crosslinking telopeptides of collagen type I (CTx) decreased (p < 0.001). In conclusion, we described the variation in vertebral bone marrow fat fraction among ovulating premenopausal women. And among postmenopausal women, we demonstrated that 17-β estradiol rapidly reduces the marrow fat fraction, suggesting that 17-β estradiol regulates bone marrow fat independent of bone mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eelkje J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Limonard
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annegreet G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Veldhuis-Vlug
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: van Dussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jurgen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Runge
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Tanck
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Endert
authors.affiliation: VU University Medical Center, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Endocrine Laboratory, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Annemieke C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Heijboer
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fliers
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Carla E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hollak
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Akkerman
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bisschop
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000187:drug effects*; D000328:Adult; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D011347:Procollagen / Q000097:blood; D011859:Radiography; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D024042:Collagen Type I; D004967:Estrogens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D011347:Procollagen; C052929:collagen type I trimeric cross-linked peptide; C047202:procollagen Type I N-terminal peptide
keywords: BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS OF BONE TURNOVER; BONE MODELING AND REMODELING; CELLS OF BONE OSTEOBLASTS; CELLS OF BONE STROMAL/STEM CELLS; SYSTEMS BIOLOGY - BONE INTERACTORS BONE-FAT INTERACTIONS; THERAPEUTICS HORMONE REPLACEMENT/RECEPTOR MODULATORS