title: Effects of losartan treatment on the physicochemical properties of diabetic rat bone.
abstract: Inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system used to treat several diseases have also been shown to be effective on bone tissue, suggesting that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers may reduce fracture risk. The present study investigated the effects of losartan on the physicochemical and biomechanical properties of diabetic rat bone. Losartan (5 mg/kg/day) was administered via oral gavage for 12 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Whole femurs were tested under tension to evaluate the biomechanical properties of bone. The physicochemical properties of bone were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Although losartan did not recover decreases in the BMD of diabetic bone, it recovered the physicochemical (mineral and collagen matrix) properties of diabetic rat bone. Furthermore, losartan also recovered ultimate tensile strength of diabetic rat femurs. Losartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, has a therapeutic effect on the physicochemical properties of diabetic bone resulting in improvement of bone strength at the material level. Therefore, specific inhibition of this pathway at the receptor level shows potential as a therapeutic target for diabetic patients suffering from bone diseases such as osteopenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health, Akdeniz University, 07070, Antalya, Turkey. barisozgurdonmez@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Baris Ozgur
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Donmez
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratories, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Semir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurettin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oguz
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratories, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ozan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Akkus
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D019808:Losartan
keywords: Bone; Diabetes mellitus; Losartan; Osteopenia; Renin–angiotensin system