Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effect of black corn polysaccharide (BPS) on diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) in rats and explore its underlying mechanisms. Methods: A DOP rat model was established by high-fat diet feeding combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection. The rats were randomly divided into model group, low-dose BPS group, high-dose BPS group, metformin group, and blank control group. Metabolic parameters including fasting blood glucose (FBG), food and water intake, and body weight were monitored. Serum, femur, and tibia samples were collected. Serum levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb), 1,25-(OH)
2D
3, parathyroid hormone (PTH), N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) were measured by ELISA. Bone morphometry measurements of cortical bone and cancellous bone were performed by HE staining observation.. Femoral biomechanical properties were assessed using three-point bending test. The protein expressions of OPG and RANKL in tibia were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results: BPS treatment significantly reduced serum levels of GHb (
P<0.01) and FBG (
P<0.01), decreased bone resorption markers TRACP-5b (
P<0.01) and CTX-I (
P<0.01), while increased PTH (
P<0.05), 1,25-(OH)2D3 (
P<0.01), PINP, OPG levels and OPG/RANKL ratio (
P<0.05 or
P<0.01). BPS improved tibial bone microstructure by increasing trabecular area percentage (%Tb.Ar), trabecular number (Tb.N), cortical bone area (Ct.Ar) and bone marrow cavity area percentage (%Ma.Ar), while decreasing trabecular separation (Tb.Sp). Moreover, BPS enhanced femoral biomechanical properties including maximum load (
P<0.01), maximum energy absorption (
P<0.01), structural toughness (
P<0.01) and elastic modulus (
P<0.01). In addition, BPS upregulated OPG expression and downregulated RANKL expression in bone tissue. Conclusion: BPS effectively improves glycemic control, ameliorates bone metabolic disorders and enhances bone strength in DOP rats, possibly through regulating the OPG/RANK/RANKL signaling pathway. These findings provide a theoretical basis for developing BPS as a potential therapeutic agent for diabetic osteoporosis.