Comparative study of the effects of osteoprotegerin and testosterone on bone quality in male orchidectomised rats

Aim: The aim of this work is to compare the effects of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and testosterone on bone quality in a model of orchidectomised (ORX) rats. Methods: Three-month-old ORX or SHAM operated groups (n = 15 each group) were used. The SHAM and ORX groups received saline. There were two ORX groups, receiving OPG–Fc (10 mg/kg twice weekly) (ORX + OPG–Fc) or testosterone cypionate (1.7 mg/kg/weekly) for 8 weeks. After sacrifice, bone analysis by femoral and lumbar dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and micro-computed tomography in femora were performed. Histological sections of vertebrae were dyed with hematoxylin–eosin or safranin. Serum osteocalcin (BGP), total alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) were analyzed. Results: ORX resulted in femoral and vertebral bone loss and in microarchitectural deterioration. Treatment with OPG–Fc and testosterone recovered lumbar (L) and femoral (F) bone mineral densitometry bone mineral density (BMD) to SHAM levels. Femoral BMD was significantly higher after treatment with OPG–Fc than after testosterone treatment due to the presence of osteopetrotic changes in the metaphyseal region of long bones. Serum levels of ALP and CTX increased, while OPG levels were unchanged in ORX rats. Treatment with OPG–Fc decreased the levels of BGP, ALP, and CTX. Treatment with testosterone maintained biochemical markers of bone turnover at levels similar to or higher than those of ORX rats.