Figure 4. Changes in microarchitecture and strength after anti-osteoporotic treatment.

(A) Typical images of unstained and uncalcified vertebra of PLS3^E10-16del/0 rats after treatment. Scale bar = 1000 μm. (B) Histomorphometric analysis of L4 after treatment (n=5 per group). %Tb.Ar: trabecular area, Tb.Th: trabecular thickness, Tb.N: trabecular number, Tb.Sp: trabecular separation. (C) Effects of treatment on the mechanical strength of femoral diaphysis (n=8 per group). The diaphysis was subjected to three-point bending test to failure, which provided data on yield load, maximum load, breaking load. (D) Effects of treatment on the mechanical strength of L5 (n=7-8 per group). The vertebral body was subjected to indentation test to acquire maximum load. (E) Comparison of Ec.MAR in the tibial cortex among three treatment groups (n=5 per group). Scale bar = 100 μm. ALN: alendronate, TPTD: teriparatide, control: saline. Ec.MAR: mineral apposition rate of endocortical surface of tibia cortex. Data were shown as the mean ± SD, evaluated by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001.

Figure 4—figure supplement 1. Characteristics of PLS3^E10-16del/0 rats before and after treatment.

(A) Body mass and length of rats at the initiation and end of the treatment (n=8 per group). Body mass were comparable among three groups at the initiation and end of the treatment. No differences were found in body length, tail length, and total length of rats at the completion of 2 months of therapy. ALN: alendronate group; TPTD: teriparatide. (B) Serum levels of bone metabolic markers during treatment (n=8 per group). Ca: calcium, P: phosphorus, β-CTX: β-C-telopeptide of type Ⅰ collagen, bone resorption marker, ALP: alkaline phosphatase. Bone metabolic markers were measured at 0 and 8 weeks of treatment. (C) Comparison of Ps.MAR in the tibial cortex among three treatment groups (n＞3 per group). Ps.MAR: mineral apposition rate of periosteal surface of tibia cortex.