Bone Abstracts

Our earlier results indicate that prenatal exposure to dexamethasone, synthetic glucocorticoid, may disturb metabolic processes in skeletal system with long-term consequences. Functional foods show a beneficial action that improve the state of health and reduce the risk of disease. The study was performed to determine whether 2-oxoglutaric acid (2-Ox) can abolish the growth inhibiting effect of prenatally administered dexamethasone (DEX) manifested in the growth plate and articular cartilage. The study was performed on 12 male pigs delivered by the sows administered (i.m) with 3 mg of dexamethasone every second day from the day 70 of the pregnancy to the parturition. Half of delivered male piglets were supplemented with 2-oxoglutaric acid during 9 months of postnatal life (0.4 g/kg body weight, daily). The histomorphometry of growth plate and articular cartilage of femur was determined. Immunohistochemical staining with anti osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteoprotegerin antibodies was performed. Postnatal administration of 2-Ox to piglets affected by prenatal action of DEX, compared with not-supplemented piglets, improved the thickness of each zone of the growth plate and two zones (superficial and radial) of articular cartilage in the femur. Moreover, 2-Ox increased expression for osteocalcin, osteopontin, and osteoprotegerin in bone tissue. 2-Ox given to piglets during 9 months of postnatal time after prenatal DEX overload significantly reduced the negative action of DEX in articular and growth cartilages connected with higher activity of all cells of bone tissue.