1. Academic Validation
  2. Disorder of Iron Metabolism Inhibits the Recovery of Unloading-Induced Bone Loss in Hypomagnetic Field

Disorder of Iron Metabolism Inhibits the Recovery of Unloading-Induced Bone Loss in Hypomagnetic Field

  • J Bone Miner Res. 2020 Jun;35(6):1163-1173. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3949.
Yanru Xue 1 2 3 Jiancheng Yang 2 3 4 Jie Luo 1 2 3 Li Ren 2 3 Ying Shen 1 2 3 Dandan Dong 1 2 3 Yanwen Fang 5 Lijiang Hu 5 Mengyu Liu 5 Zhongcai Liao 5 Jun Li 5 Zhicai Fang 5 Peng Shang 1 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Research & Development Institute of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China.
  • 2 School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
  • 3 Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Institute of Special Environment Biophysics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China.
  • 4 Department of Spinal Surgery, People's Hospital of Longhua, Affiliated Hospital of Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China.
  • 5 Zhejiang Heye Health Technology Co., Ltd., Anji, China.
Abstract

Exposure of humans and Animals to microgravity in spaceflight results in various deleterious effects on bone health. In addition to microgravity, the hypomagnetic field (HyMF) is also an extreme environment in space, such as on the Moon and Mars; magnetic intensity is far weaker than the geomagnetic field (GMF) on Earth. Recently, we showed that HyMF promoted additional bone loss in hindlimb unloading-induced bone loss, and the underlying mechanism probably involved an increase of body iron storage. Numerous studies have indicated that bone loss induced by mechanical unloading can be largely restored after skeletal reloading in GMF conditions. However, it is unknown whether this bone deficit can return to a healthy state under HyMF condition. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effects of HyMF on the recovery of microgravity-induced bone loss, and illustrates the changes of body iron storage in this process. Our results showed that there was lower bone mineral content (BMC) in the HyMF reloading group compared to the GMF reloading group. Reloaded mice in the HyMF condition had a worse microstructure of femur than in the GMF condition. Femoral mechanical properties, including elastic modulus, stiffness, and ultimate stress, were poorer and toughness was higher in the HyMF group compared with the GMF group. Simultaneously, more iron content in serum, the tibia, liver, and spleen was found under HyMF reloading than GMF reloading. The iron chelator deferoxamine mesylate (DFO) decreased the iron content in the bone, liver, and spleen, and significantly relieved unloading-induced bone loss under HyMF reloading. These results showed that HyMF inhibits the recovery of microgravity-induced bone loss, probably by suppressing the elevated iron levels' return to physiological level. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Keywords

GEOMAGNETIC FIELD; HINDLIMB UNLOADING; HYPOMAGNETIC FIELD; IRON STORAGE; RELOADING.

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