The initial phase of oxidative stress in a steroid-induced osteonecrosis rabbit model

Using a rabbit model, we examined N epsilon-(hexanoyl) lysine (HEL) levels in bone and urine to detect when peroxidative reaction first occurs after steroid administration. Japanese white rabbits weighing about 3.5 kg each were injected with a single intramuscular dose of methylprednisolone 40 mg/kg and divided into groups consisting of 10 rabbits each, which were killed after 1, 3, 5 and 14 days (groups A, B, C and D respectively). As a control, 10 untreated rabbits (group N) were also studied. The proximal femurs were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically using monoclonal antibody HEL, which is a highly specific antibody against N epsilon-(hexanoyl) lysine, an early peroxidation marker. In addition, urinary levels of HEL were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in group N, A, B and C. Osteonecrosis was detected only in group D (90%). Increase of positive reaction of HEL in the bone was observed in group A and D. HEL expression in group D was judged to be a secondary reaction resulting from the development of osteonecrosis. Urinary level of HEL showed a significant increase in only group A (P < 0.001). The present findings suggest that peroxidation in bone occurred within 24 hours after steroid administration in a rabbit model and that it is possible to noninvasively grasp the timing of this peroxidative reaction by measuring the urinary level of HEL.

The timing and extent of intraosseous hypoxia in the oxidative stress-induced rat osteonecrosis model

Using a rat oxidative stress-induced femoral head osteonecrosis model, we determined the presence/ absence and timing of the generation of hypoxia in the femoral head. DL-Buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) 500 mg/kg was administered intraperitoneally to male Wistar rats. The rats were killed at 1, 3, 6, 12 hours, and 1, 3, 5 days after BSO administration, and the bilateral femora were removed. A group not administered BSO (control group) was also studied (each group n = 5). In the femoral heads of each group, the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) as an index of hypoxia was confirmed by the Western blot method, and quantified using analytical software. In the femoral head increased HIF-1α expression was found in all groups from 1 hour after BSO administration (p < 0.05). In particular, in all specimens of the group 3 hours after BSO administration the most intense expression of HIF-1α amounting to about 13-fold of that of control group was noted (p < 0.001). The present results suggested that in the extremely short period of 3 hours after BSO administration hypoxia severe enough to cause osteonecrosis was induced by oxidative stress in the rat femoral head.