The effect of PPARγ inhibition on bone marrow adipose tissue and bone in C3H/HeJ mice

Bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) increases after menopause, and increased BMAT is associated with osteoporosis and prevalent vertebral fractures. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR gamma) activation promotes adipogenesis and inhibits osteoblastogenesis; therefore, PPAR gamma is a potential contributor to the postmenopausal increase in BMAT and decrease in bone mass. The aim of this study is to determine if PPAR gamma inhibition can prevent ovariectomy-induced BMAT increase and bone loss in C3H/HeJ mice. Fourteen-week-old female C3H/HeJ mice (n = 40) were allocated to four intervention groups: sham surgery (Sham) or ovariectomy (OVX; isoflurane anesthesia) with either vehicle (Veh) or PPAR gamma antagonist administration (GW9662; 1 mg.kg(-1).day(-1), daily intraperitoneal injections) for 3 wk. We measured BMAT volume, adipocyte size, adipocyte number. and bone structural parameters in the proximal metaphysis of the tibia using polyoxometalate-based contrast enhanced-nanocomputed topogaphy. Bone turnover was measured in the contralateral tibia using histomorphometry. The effects of surgery and treatment were analyzed by two-way ANOVA. OVX increased the BMAT volume fraction (Sham + Veh: 2.9 +/- 2.7% vs. OVX + Veh: 8.1 +/- 5.0%: P < 0.001), average adipocyte diameter (Sham + Veh: 19.3 +/- 2.6 mu m vs. OVX + Veh: 23.1 +/- 3.4 mu m: P = 0.001), and adipocyte number (Sham + Veh: 584 +/- 337cells/mu m(3) vs. OVX + Veh: 824 +/- 113cells/mu m(3): P = 0.03), while OVX decreased bone volume fraction (Sham + Veh: 15.5 +/- 2.8% vs. OVX + Veh: 7.7 +/- 1.9%; P < 0.001). GW9662 had no effect on BMAT, bone structural parameters, or bone turnover. In conclusion, ovariectomy increased BMAT and decreased bone volume in C3H/HeJ mice. The PPAR gamma antagonist GW9662 had no effect on BMAT or bone volume in C3H/HeJ mice, suggesting that BMAT accumulation is regulated independently of PPAR gamma in C3H/HeJ mice.