The effects of PPARγ inhibitor on bones and bone marrow fat in aged glucocorticoid-treated female rats

Progressive bone marrow (BM) fat accumulation is a common bone loss characteristic in older populations and glucocorticoid (GC)-induced skeletal destruction that is inversely associated with bone synthesis and directly associated with increased peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) expression. PPARγ inhibition is an efficient therapeutic strategy for aged- and GC-related skeletal disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of PPARγ inhibition on aged GC-treated female rats. It was hypothesised that bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) could inhibit marrow adiposity and improve osteogenesis by inhibiting PPARγ, thereby preventing GC-induced osteoporosis (GIO). Female Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 32, age = 18 months) were randomly allocated to one of the following groups: (1) control, (2) BADGE (30 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal), (3) methylprednisolone (MP; 30 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous), and (4) MP + BADGE. After eight weeks of treatment, bone density (BD) and trabecular bone microarchitectures were quantified by micro-computed tomography (CT), and BM adipocytes were quantified by histopathology. Additionally, mRNA and protein expression of adipogenic and osteogenic markers were quantified by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, serum bone turnover biomarker levels were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MP treatment led to marrow adipogenesis and bone deterioration. However, rats treated with MP + BADGE showed lower marrow adipogenesis, as indicated by smaller marrow adipocyte diameter, decreased density and area percentages, reduced expression of marrow adipogenic genes and proteins, improved BD and trabecular microarchitectures, increased expression of osteogenic genes and proteins, and higher levels of serum bone formation markers. These results were consistent with the differences observed between control and BADGE mono-treated rats. In conclusion, BADGE treatment attenuates BM adiposity and improves bone formation in aged GC-treated female rats by inhibiting PPARγ. Therefore, PPARγ might be a potential target for treating GIO in older populations.