title: Donepezil regulates energy metabolism and favors bone mass accrual.
abstract: The autonomous nervous system regulates bone mass through the sympathetic and parasympathetic arms. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) favors bone loss whereas the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) promotes bone mass accrual. Donepezil, a central-acting cholinergic agonist, has been shown to down-regulate SNS and up-regulate PNS signaling tones. Accordingly, we hypothesize that the use of donepezil could have beneficial effects in regulating bone mass. To test our hypothesis, two groups of healthy female mice were treated either with donepezil or saline. Differences in body metabolism and bone mass of the treated groups were compared. Body and visceral fat weights as well as serum leptin level were increased in donepezil-treated mice compared to control, suggesting that donepezil effects on SNS influenced metabolic activity. Donepezil-treated mice had better bone quality than controls due to a decrease in osteoclasts number. These results indicate that donepezil is able to affect whole body energy metabolism and favors bone mass in young female WT mice.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada.
authors.forename: Hazem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eimar
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada.
authors.forename: Sharifa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alebrahim
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada.
authors.forename: Garthiga
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manickam
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Subaie
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abu-Nada
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1Y6, Canada; Genetics Unit, Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1A6, Canada. Electronic address: monzur.murshed@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Monzur
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murshed
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C7, Canada. Electronic address: faleh.tamimimarino@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Faleh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tamimi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects*; D002452:Cell Count; D000077265:Donepezil; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D007189:Indans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007189:Indans; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil; D007545:Isoproterenol
keywords: Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; Autonomous nervous system; Bone; Energy metabolism