Fructooligosaccharides act on the gut-bone axis to improve bone independent of Tregs and alter osteocytes in young adult C57BL/6 female mice

Targeting the gut-bone axis with probiotics and prebiotics is considered as a promising strategy to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Gut-derived short chain fatty acids (SCFA) mediate the effects of probiotics on bone via Tregs, but it is not known whether prebiotics act through a similar mechanism. We investigated how 2 different prebiotics, tart cherry (TC) and fructooligosaccharide (FOS), affect bone, and whether Tregs are required for this response. Eight-wk-old C57BL/6 female mice were fed with diets supplemented with 10% w/w TC, FOS, or a control diet (Con; AIN-93M) diet, and they received an isotype control or CD25 Ab to suppress Tregs. The FOS diet increased BMC, density, and trabecular bone volume in the vertebra (similar to 40%) and proximal tibia (similar to 30%) compared to the TC and control diets (Con), irrespective of CD25 treatment. Both prebiotics increased (P < .01) fecal SCFAs, but the response was greater with FOS. To determine how FOS affected bone cells, we examined genes involved in osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation and activity as well as genes expressed by osteocytes. The FOS increased the expression of regulators of osteoblast differentiation (bone morphogenetic protein 2 [Bmp2], Wnt family member 10b [Wnt10b] and Osterix [Osx]) and type 1 collagen). Osteoclasts regulators were unaltered. The FOS also increased the expression of genes associated with osteocytes, including (Phex), matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (Mepe), and dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1 (Dmp-1). However, Sost, the gene that encodes for sclerostin was also increased by FOS as the number and density of osteocytes increased. These findings demonstrate that FOS has a greater effect on the bone mass and structure in young adult female mice than TC and that its influence on osteoblasts and osteocytes is not dependent on Tregs.