Osteocytes reflect a pro-inflammatory state following spinal cord injury in a rodent model

Profound bone loss occurs following spinal cord injury (SCI) resulting in a high incidence of fractures. While likely caused in part by loss of weight-bearing, there is greater bone loss following SCI when compared to that observed in other disuse animal models. Patients with SCI have a protracted inflammatory response, with elevated circulating levels of pro-inflammatory markers. This chronic inflammation could compound the bone loss attributed to disuse and the loss of neural signaling. To assess this, we examined inflammatory markers and bone turnover regulators in osteocytes from rats with a moderate spinal contusion injury (SCI) and intact controls (CON).

Source: Bone - December 11, 2018 Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Corinne E. Metzger, Sammy Gong, Miriam Aceves, Susan A. Bloomfield, Michelle A. Hook Tags: Full Length Article Source Type: research