title: Chronic Psychosocial Stress Impairs Bone Homeostasis: A Study in the Social Isolation Reared Rat.
abstract: Chronic psychosocial stress is a key player in the onset and aggravation of mental diseases, including psychosis. Although a strong association between this psychiatric condition and other medical co-morbidities has been recently demonstrated, few data on the link between psychosis and bone homeostasis are actually available. The aim of this study was to investigate whether chronic psychosocial stress induced by 4 or 7 weeks of social isolation in drug-naïve male Wistar rats could alter bone homeostasis in terms of bone thickness, mineral density and content, as well as markers of bone formation and resorption (sclerostin, cathepsin K, and CTX-I). We found that bone mineral density was increased in rats exposed to 7 weeks of social isolation, while no differences were detected in bone mineral content and area. Moreover, 7 weeks of social isolation lead to increase of femur thickness with respect to controls, suggesting the development of a hyperostosis condition. Isolated rats showed no changes in sclerostin levels, a marker of bone formation, compared to grouped animals. Conversely, bone resorption markers were significantly altered after 7 weeks of social isolation in terms of decrease in cathepsin K and increase of CTX-I. No alterations were found after 4 weeks of isolation rearing. Our observations suggest that chronic psychosocial stress might affect bone homeostasis, more likely independently from drug treatment. Thus, the social isolation model might help to identify possible new therapeutic targets to treat the burden of chronic psychosocial stress and to attempt alternative therapy choices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Foggia Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schiavone
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Foggia Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Morgese
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, "Sapienza" University of Rome Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mhillaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, "Sapienza" University of Rome Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bove
authors.affiliation: Dual Diagnosis Unit, Azienda Sanitaria Locale della Provincia di Foggia Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Giorgi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Cantatore
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, "Sapienza" University of RomeRome, Italy; Department of Basic Medical Science, Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of BariBari, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camerino
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Foggia Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Musculoskeletal Disorders, School of Medicine and Surgery, University of SalernoSalerno, Italy; Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and DentistryLondon, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, "Sapienza" University of Rome Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cuomo
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Foggia Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trabace
keywords: CTX-I; bone homeostasis; cathepsin K; sclerostin; social rearing isolation