[Animal modeling] - Establishment of ovariectomized osteoporosis tree shrew model

  Objective: To establish a tree shrew model of postmenopausal osteoporosis by bilateral ovariectomy.

  Methods: 100 female tree shrews were included in the experiment, and the model was evaluated according to the diagnostic criteria of the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Primary Osteoporosis (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines) issued by the Osteoporosis and Bone Mineral Diseases Branch of the Chinese Medical Association in 2011: ① According to the natural life span, sexual maturity time, peak age of bone mineral density (BMD), natural life span and sexual maturity time of tree shrews, the peak age of BMD of tree shrews was estimated. Six tree shrews aged 6, 12, 18 and 24 months were randomly selected for whole-body BMD detection, and the BMD difference of each month was compared to verify the peak BMD age of tree shrews; ② 62 tree shrews at the peak BMD month age were randomly selected from the remaining tree shrews for BMD detection to determine the mean and standard deviation of the peak BMD of tree shrews. Then they were randomly divided into the model group (n=32) and the blank group (n=30). The model group had bilateral ovaries removed by surgery, and the blank group had greater omentum of the same volume as the ovaries removed. Six rats in each group were randomly selected at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery for BMD testing, and the samples were taken for pathological testing and verification if the BMD values met the diagnostic criteria of the Guidelines.

  Results: ① The peak BMD values of tree shrews at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of age were (0.138 ± 0.012), (0.143 ± 0.010), (0.141 ± 0.009), (0.139 ± 0.009) g/cm2, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the peak BMD values of tree shrews at each month of age (P>0.05); ② The mean peak BMD of tree shrews was (0.143 ± 0.016) g/cm2; ③ The number of tree shrews whose BMD values at each time point in the model group conformed to the diagnostic criteria of the Guidelines were 0, 5, 4 and 5, respectively. Compared with the 6-month old tree shrews, the pathological section of the proximal tibia showed that the bone trabeculae were sparse and fractured, and the trabecular spacing was widened; In the blank group, the number of tree shrews whose BMD values at each time point met the diagnostic criteria of the Guidelines was 0, and there was no abnormality in the pathological section of the proximal tibia compared with the 6-month old tree shrews.

  Conclusion: According to the diagnostic criteria of the Guidelines, the 6-month old female tree shrews can reproduce the human postmenopausal osteoporosis model 6 months after bilateral ovariectomy, with a high success rate and a stable model.