Vanadium salt inhibits osteoclast formation and preserves bone integrity in a rat model of type-1 diabetes associated bone loss.

The effects of vanadyl acetylacetonate (VAC) were evaluated on femur intramedullary osteoclasts in a rat model of type 1 diabetes (T1D) associated bone remodeling. In this study, BB Wistar rats were administered intramedullary injections consisting of either VAC at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg or a control saline solution. These injections were administered at least 12 weeks after the onset of T1D (i.e., treatment began ≥ 12 weeks after diabetes onset) to allow for the establishment of diabetic bone changes. At 4 weeks following treatment, the femurs treated with VAC exhibited a significant increase in trabecular thickness, specifically a 19.03% increase (p < 0.05). Osteoclasts, which were identified using TRAP staining, were found to be reduced in number at both 6 and 8 weeks in the femurs that received VAC treatment (p < 0.05). Likewise, when VAC was added to culture media, it resulted in a substantial decrease in osteoclast formation in vitro (8.1 ± 16.8 vs. 91.6 ± 16.0 cells, p < 0.001). In addition, expression of Dcstamp was significantly decreased in VAC-treated femurs compared to those treated with saline (p < 0.05). Taken together, this study demonstrates that intramedullary VAC delivery appears to inhibit T1D-related bone loss by impairing the process of osteoclastogenesis.