Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss

Objectives: This study evaluated the efficacy of teriparatide (TPTD) and alendronate (ALN) in mitigating bone loss, enhancing bone structure, and facilitating motor function recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: All the rats were allocated into four groups: a sham surgery group (SHAM...

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Main Authors: Shuai Wang, Jingliang Zhu, Yuping Feng, Yuchen Hua, Gangjun You, Jahui Su, Benchao Shi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/2/342
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author Shuai Wang
Jingliang Zhu
Yuping Feng
Yuchen Hua
Gangjun You
Jahui Su
Benchao Shi
author_facet Shuai Wang
Jingliang Zhu
Yuping Feng
Yuchen Hua
Gangjun You
Jahui Su
Benchao Shi
author_sort Shuai Wang
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: This study evaluated the efficacy of teriparatide (TPTD) and alendronate (ALN) in mitigating bone loss, enhancing bone structure, and facilitating motor function recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: All the rats were allocated into four groups: a sham surgery group (SHAM group), a normal saline group (SCI + NS group), a TPTD treatment group after SCI (SCI + TPTD group), and an ALN treatment group after SCI (SCI + ALN group). The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores and gait analyses were used to assess the motor abilities of rats following SCI and the effects of treatment. HE staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, and LFB staining were performed to evaluate the extent of spinal cord tissue damage. Micro-CT was used to measure 12 bone-related parameters of the proximal tibia and create 3D images, and structural changes in the proximal tibial bone tissue were observed under a light microscope after HE staining. Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, the micro-CT data indicated that TPTD significantly increased key bone indicators, such as bone mineral density, after SCI (<i>p</i> < 0.01), whereas ALN did not significantly improve these indicators (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Compared with the SCI + NS group, the SCI + TPTD group presented significantly greater BBB scores and near-normal gait parameters (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Analyses of pathological sections revealed that TPTD significantly reduced the cavity area in the spinal cord after SCI, decreased the proportion of scar tissue, and increased the retention of neural myelin (<i>p</i> < 0.05). However, ALN had no significant effect on these indicators (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Conclusions: TPTD was more effective than ALN at mitigating bone loss and promoting motor function recovery after SCI, and it demonstrated significant advantages in reducing spinal cord damage and improving tissue structure.
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spelling doaj-art-a109eab4d1e144159cc7e159d38e9fd72025-08-20T02:44:49ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-02-0113234210.3390/biomedicines13020342Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone LossShuai Wang0Jingliang Zhu1Yuping Feng2Yuchen Hua3Gangjun You4Jahui Su5Benchao Shi6Department of Spinal Surgery, Orthopedic Medical Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Orthopedic Medical Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, ChinaDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Orthopedic Medical Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Orthopedic Medical Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Orthopedic Medical Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Surgery, Orthopedic Medical Center, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510280, ChinaObjectives: This study evaluated the efficacy of teriparatide (TPTD) and alendronate (ALN) in mitigating bone loss, enhancing bone structure, and facilitating motor function recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: All the rats were allocated into four groups: a sham surgery group (SHAM group), a normal saline group (SCI + NS group), a TPTD treatment group after SCI (SCI + TPTD group), and an ALN treatment group after SCI (SCI + ALN group). The Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) scores and gait analyses were used to assess the motor abilities of rats following SCI and the effects of treatment. HE staining, Masson’s trichrome staining, and LFB staining were performed to evaluate the extent of spinal cord tissue damage. Micro-CT was used to measure 12 bone-related parameters of the proximal tibia and create 3D images, and structural changes in the proximal tibial bone tissue were observed under a light microscope after HE staining. Results: After 12 weeks of treatment, the micro-CT data indicated that TPTD significantly increased key bone indicators, such as bone mineral density, after SCI (<i>p</i> < 0.01), whereas ALN did not significantly improve these indicators (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Compared with the SCI + NS group, the SCI + TPTD group presented significantly greater BBB scores and near-normal gait parameters (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Analyses of pathological sections revealed that TPTD significantly reduced the cavity area in the spinal cord after SCI, decreased the proportion of scar tissue, and increased the retention of neural myelin (<i>p</i> < 0.05). However, ALN had no significant effect on these indicators (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Conclusions: TPTD was more effective than ALN at mitigating bone loss and promoting motor function recovery after SCI, and it demonstrated significant advantages in reducing spinal cord damage and improving tissue structure.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/2/342spinal cord injuryosteoporosisteriparatidealendronatebone mineral density
spellingShingle Shuai Wang
Jingliang Zhu
Yuping Feng
Yuchen Hua
Gangjun You
Jahui Su
Benchao Shi
Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss
Biomedicines
spinal cord injury
osteoporosis
teriparatide
alendronate
bone mineral density
title Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss
title_full Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss
title_fullStr Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss
title_short Effects of Teriparatide and Alendronate on Functional Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury and Postinjury Bone Loss
title_sort effects of teriparatide and alendronate on functional recovery from spinal cord injury and postinjury bone loss
topic spinal cord injury
osteoporosis
teriparatide
alendronate
bone mineral density
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/2/342
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