Bahlmann Olaf, Taheri Shahed, Spaeth Manuela, Schröder Katrin, Schilling Arndt F, Dullin Christian, Maronde Erik
Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Anatomy II, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Department of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
J Pineal Res. 2024 Nov;76(8):e70020. doi: 10.1111/jpi.70020.
In mice, variability in adult bone size and density has been observed among common inbred strains. Also, in the group of genes regulating circadian rhythmicity in mice, so called clock genes, changes in body size and skeletal parameters have been noted in knockout mice. Here, we studied the size and density of prominent bones of the axial and appendicular skeleton of clock gene Period-1-deficient (Per1) mice by means of microcomputed tomography. Our data show shorter spinal length, smaller and less dense femora and tibiae, but no significant changes in the shape of the skull and the length of the head. Together with the significantly lower total body weight of Per1 mice, we conclude that Per1-deficiency in a melatonin-proficient mouse strain is associated with an altered body phenotype with smaller appendicular (hind limb) bone size, shorter spine length and lower total body weight while normal head length and brain weight. The observed changes suggest an involvement of secondary bone mineralisation with impact on long bones, but lesser impact on those of the skull. Evidence and overall physiological implications of these findings are discussed.
在小鼠中，已观察到常见近交系成年小鼠的骨骼大小和密度存在差异。此外，在调节小鼠昼夜节律的基因群（即所谓的时钟基因）中，基因敲除小鼠的体型和骨骼参数也出现了变化。在此，我们通过微型计算机断层扫描研究了时钟基因Period-1缺陷型（Per1）小鼠中轴骨骼和附属骨骼突出骨骼的大小和密度。我们的数据显示，Per1小鼠的脊柱长度较短，股骨和胫骨更小且密度更低，但颅骨形状和头部长度没有显著变化。结合Per1小鼠显著更低的总体重，我们得出结论，在褪黑素充足的小鼠品系中，Per1缺陷与身体表型改变有关，其附属（后肢）骨骼尺寸更小、脊柱长度更短且总体重更低，而头部长度和脑重正常。观察到的变化表明，继发性骨矿化参与其中，对长骨有影响，但对颅骨的影响较小。本文讨论了这些发现的证据和总体生理意义。
