Expression of Renal Vitamin D and Phosphatonin-Related Genes in a Sheep Model of Osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a significant public health issue around the world, with post-menopausal osteoporosis due to estrogen deficiency resulting in approximately ¾ of cases. In this study, 18 aged Merino ewes were ovariectomized, and 10 were controls. Three of the ovariectomized ewes were treated weekly with 400 mg of methylprednisolone for 5 months and three were treated weekly for 2 months, followed by a 3-month recovery period. At 2 months, five control animals and six ovariectomized animals were euthanized. At 5 months, all the remaining ewes were euthanized. Kidney samples were collected postmortem for qPCR analysis of , , , , , , , , , , , , , and Ovariectomized sheep had significantly greater expression compared with other groups. Ovariectomized sheep treated with glucocorticoids for 2 months followed by euthanasia at 5 months showed significant differences in , and gene expression compared to other groups. Differences in expression were most marked after adjustment for repeated measures ( = 0.1). is known as the "anti-aging" hormone and is involved in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. may be involved in the recovery of bone mineral density in ovariectomized sheep treated with glucocorticoids for 2 months followed by euthanasia at 5 months. Further research on the role of is recommended.