Effects of 12 Months of Voluntary Alcohol Self-Administration on Intracortical Bone Remodeling in a Rhesus Macaque Model

Background: Alcohol is a nonessential nutrient widely consumed throughout the world. Chronic alcohol abuse is associated with numerous adverse skeletal effects. However, prior to this study, the effects of alcohol abuse on intracortical bone remodeling in an animal model had not been investigated. Reduced intracortical bone remodeling could impair repair of microdamage accrued during activities of daily living and lead to increased risk of bone fractures.

Methods: To fill this gap in knowledge, we investigated the effects of 12 months of voluntary self-administration of ethanol (4% v/v) on bone mass, bone microarchitecture, and intracortical bone remodeling in male rhesus monkeys approaching skeletal maturity (mean age 6.7 years).

Results: Alcohol-fed monkeys consumed a mean of 2.8 g/kg ethanol per day. No significant difference was found between alcohol and control monkeys for body weight, age, or any indices of bone mass or bone microarchitecture. However, monkeys in the alcohol group had significantly lower intracortical bone formation and bone resorption compared to the control group.

Conclusions: These results suggest that 12-months of self-administration of alcohol results in significantly reduced intracortical bone remodeling without affecting bone mass or bone microarchitecture; thus, evidence from this study indicates that alcohol abuse can reduce bone quality without affecting bone quantity.

Keywords: Alcohol abuse; rhesus macaque model; histomorphometry; cortical bone remodeling

Year	Entry
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2010	Bouxsein ML, Boyd SK, Christiansen BA, Guldberg RE, Jepsen KJ, Müller R. Guidelines for assessment of bone microstructure in rodents using micro-computed tomography. J Bone Miner Res. July 2010;25(7):1468-1486.
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Year

Entry

2008

Clarke B. Normal bone anatomy and physiology. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. November 2008;3(suppl 3):S131-S139.

2010

Bouxsein ML, Boyd SK, Christiansen BA, Guldberg RE, Jepsen KJ, Müller R. Guidelines for assessment of bone microstructure in rodents using micro-computed tomography. J Bone Miner Res. July 2010;25(7):1468-1486.

2009

Robling AG, Turner CH. Mechanical signaling for bone modeling and remodeling. Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr. 2009;19(4):319-338.

2003

Seeman E. Periosteal bone formation: a neglected determinant of bone strength. NEJM. July 24, 2003;349(4):320-323.

2005

Kanis JA, Johansson H, Johnell O, Oden A, De Laet C, Eisman JA, Pols H, Tenenhouse A. Alcohol intake as a risk factor for fracture. Osteoporos Int. July 2005;16(7):737-742.