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. 2014:2014:185075.
doi: 10.1155/2014/185075. Epub 2014 Aug 14.

A low protein diet alters bone material level properties and the response to in vitro repeated mechanical loading

Victor Dubois-Ferrière  1 , René Rizzoli  1 , Patrick Ammann  1
Affiliations

A low protein diet alters bone material level properties and the response to in vitro repeated mechanical loading

Victor Dubois-Ferrière et al. Biomed Res Int. 2014.

Abstract

Low protein intake is associated with an alteration of bone microstructure and material level properties. However, it remains unknown whether these alterations of bone tissue could influence the response to repeated mechanical loading. The authors investigated the in vitro effect of repeated loading on bone strength in humeri collected from 20 6-month-old female rats pair-fed with a control (15% casein) or an isocaloric low protein (2.5% casein) diet for 10 weeks. Bone specimens were cyclically loaded in three-point bending under load control for 2000 cycles. Humeri were then monotonically loaded to failure. The load-displacement curve of the in vitro cyclically loaded humerus was compared to the contralateral noncyclically loaded humerus and the influence of both protein diets. Material level properties were also evaluated through a nanoindentation test. Cyclic loading decreased postyield load and plastic deflection in rats fed a low protein diet, but not in those on a regular diet. Bone material level properties were altered in rats fed a low protein diet. This suggests that bone biomechanical alterations consequent to cyclic loading are more likely to occur in rats fed a low protein diet than in control animals subjected to the same in vitro cyclic loading regimen.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of a load-deflection curve corresponding to a bending test of a bone diaphysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Preliminary determination of cyclic loading. Number of cycles to failure according to different loading parameters based on the maximal load (L MAX) to failure of the contralateral bone. *Test stopped at 18000 cycles.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Postyield load and deflection in monotonically loaded humerus of 6-month-old rats fed either normal casein (15%) or low casein diet (2.5%). Humeri were either previously cyclically loaded (open columns) or served as control (dark columns). Values are means ± SEM. *P < 0.05 versus 2.5% casein diet.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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