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Simvastatin improves fracture healing in mice

Skoglund, B ; Forslund, Carina LU and Aspenberg, Per LU (2002) In Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 17(11). p.2004-2008
Abstract
Recently, several articles have been published dealing with the anabolic effects on bone by statins. Mundy and associates discovered that several statins were able to activate the promotor of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2. Additionally, oral simvastatin and lovastatin increased the cancellous bone volume in rats, presumably an effect of the increase of BMP-2. Other studies have followed, with conflicting results; some have found a positive bone metabolic effect of statins and others have not. Studies published so far have focused on osteoporosis. In this study, femur fractures were produced in 81 mature male BALB/c mice and stabilized with marrow-nailing. Forty-one mice were given a diet prepared with simvastatin, so that each mouse... (More)
Recently, several articles have been published dealing with the anabolic effects on bone by statins. Mundy and associates discovered that several statins were able to activate the promotor of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2. Additionally, oral simvastatin and lovastatin increased the cancellous bone volume in rats, presumably an effect of the increase of BMP-2. Other studies have followed, with conflicting results; some have found a positive bone metabolic effect of statins and others have not. Studies published so far have focused on osteoporosis. In this study, femur fractures were produced in 81 mature male BALB/c mice and stabilized with marrow-nailing. Forty-one mice were given a diet prepared with simvastatin, so that each mouse received an approximate dose of 120 mg/kg of body weight per day. The remaining mice received the same diet with the exception of the simvastatin. Bilateral femurs were harvested at 8, 14, and 21 days postoperatively (po), the marrow-nail was extracted, and diameters were measured. Biomechanical tests were performed on 42 mice, by way of three-point bending. Histological specimens were prepared using standard techniques. For statistical analysis, ANOVA with Scheffe's post hoc test was used. At 8 days, the fracture callus was too soft for meaningful biornechanical testing. At 14 days, the callus of the simvastatin-treated mice had a 53% larger transverse area than controls (p = 0.001), the force required to break the bone was 63% greater (p = 0.001), and the energy uptake was increased by 150% (p = 0.0008). Stiffness and modulus of elasticity were not significantly affected. At 21 days, the fractures were histologically healed and the mechanical differences had disappeared. The contralateral unbroken bone showed a slight increase in transverse area because of the simvastatin treatment, but there was no significant effect on the force required to break the bone or on energy uptake. These results point to a new possibility in the treatment of fractures. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bone, mice, statins, fracture repair
in
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research
volume
17
issue
11
pages
2004 - 2008
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000178779700013
  • pmid:12412808
  • scopus:0036828513
ISSN
1523-4681
DOI
10.1359/jbmr.2002.17.11.2004
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
2ccd697b-f7b8-4802-80f4-d7fe95fafb98 (old id 324950)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:52:09
date last changed
2022-03-05 07:41:21
@article{2ccd697b-f7b8-4802-80f4-d7fe95fafb98,
  abstract     = {{Recently, several articles have been published dealing with the anabolic effects on bone by statins. Mundy and associates discovered that several statins were able to activate the promotor of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2. Additionally, oral simvastatin and lovastatin increased the cancellous bone volume in rats, presumably an effect of the increase of BMP-2. Other studies have followed, with conflicting results; some have found a positive bone metabolic effect of statins and others have not. Studies published so far have focused on osteoporosis. In this study, femur fractures were produced in 81 mature male BALB/c mice and stabilized with marrow-nailing. Forty-one mice were given a diet prepared with simvastatin, so that each mouse received an approximate dose of 120 mg/kg of body weight per day. The remaining mice received the same diet with the exception of the simvastatin. Bilateral femurs were harvested at 8, 14, and 21 days postoperatively (po), the marrow-nail was extracted, and diameters were measured. Biomechanical tests were performed on 42 mice, by way of three-point bending. Histological specimens were prepared using standard techniques. For statistical analysis, ANOVA with Scheffe's post hoc test was used. At 8 days, the fracture callus was too soft for meaningful biornechanical testing. At 14 days, the callus of the simvastatin-treated mice had a 53% larger transverse area than controls (p = 0.001), the force required to break the bone was 63% greater (p = 0.001), and the energy uptake was increased by 150% (p = 0.0008). Stiffness and modulus of elasticity were not significantly affected. At 21 days, the fractures were histologically healed and the mechanical differences had disappeared. The contralateral unbroken bone showed a slight increase in transverse area because of the simvastatin treatment, but there was no significant effect on the force required to break the bone or on energy uptake. These results point to a new possibility in the treatment of fractures.}},
  author       = {{Skoglund, B and Forslund, Carina and Aspenberg, Per}},
  issn         = {{1523-4681}},
  keywords     = {{bone; mice; statins; fracture repair}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{2004--2008}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Journal of Bone and Mineral Research}},
  title        = {{Simvastatin improves fracture healing in mice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1359/jbmr.2002.17.11.2004}},
  doi          = {{10.1359/jbmr.2002.17.11.2004}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2002}},
}