Combination of Weight-Bearing Training and Anti-MSTN Polyclonal Antibody Improve Bone Quality In Rats

• Published in: International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism 2016-12, Vol.26 (6), p.516-524
• Main Authors: Tang, Liang, Gao, Xiaohang, Yang, Xiaoying, Zhang, Didi, Zhang, Xiaojun, Du, Haiping, Han, Yanqi, Sun, Lijun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibodies - pharmacology; Biomechanical Phenomena; Body Weight; Bone and Bones - physiology; Bone Density; Elastic Modulus; Energy Metabolism; Male; Myostatin - antagonists & inhibitors; Osteogenesis; Physical Conditioning, Animal; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Resistance Training; Running; Weight-Bearing
• ISSN: 1526-484X; 1543-2742
• DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2015-0337

Weight-bearing exercise is beneficial to bone health. Myostatin (MSTN) deficiency has a positive effect on bone formation. We wondered if a combination of weight-bearing training and polyclonal antibody for MSTN (MsAb) would augment bone formation to a greater degree than single treatment. In this study, rats were randomly assigned to four groups: Control, weight-bearing training (WT), MsAb, and WT+MsAb. The trained rats ran at 15 m/min bearing with 35% of their body weight, 40 min/day (2 min of running followed by 2 min of rest), 6 days/week, for 8 weeks. The rats with MsAb were injected once a week with MsAb for 8 weeks. MicroCT analysis showed that compared with the MsAb group, WT+MsAb significantly enhanced cortical bone mineral density (BMD) (p < .01), bone volume over total volume (BV/TV) (p < .01), trabecular thickness (p < .05), and reduced trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) (p < .01). Compared with the WT group, WT+MsAb significantly increased trabecular BMD (p < .05), BV/TV (p < .05), and decreased Tb.Sp (p < .05). Three-point bending test demonstrated that MsAb failed to improve bone biomechanical properties (p > .05), weight-bearing training significantly increased energy absorption (p < .05) and elastic modulus (p < .05). However, when they combined, biomechanical properties including maximum load (p < .05), stiffness (p < .05), elastic modulus (p < .01) and energy absorption (p < .01) were all significantly enhanced. In conclusion, the combination of weight-bearing training and MsAb have a greater positive effect on bone than treatment with either MsAb or weight-bearing training alone, suggesting that resistance training in combination with MSTN antagonists could be an effective approach for improving bone health and reducing osteoporosis risk.