ABSTRACT
Obesity not only reduces bone mineral density but also increases inflammatory markers. Therefore, we examined the change in inflammatory markers and morphological microstructure of the bones using a mouse model fed a high-fat diet. C57BL/6J 4-week-old male mice were divided into a control group (n = 6) and a experimental group (n = 6); the control group was provided with 10% Kcal fat diet, and the high-fat diet group was provided with 45% Kcal fat diet for 12 weeks using the free provision method. Blood was analyzed for inflammatory markers, and micro-computed tomography was used to measure the morphological microstructure of the femoral bone. The weight increases in the control group and high-fat diet group were 5.85 +/- 1.84 g and 16.06 +/- 5.64 g, respectively (p < 0.01), glucose was 115.00 +/- 16.88 mg/dL and 188.33 +/- 13.29 mg/dL (p < 0.01), and triglycerides were 65.00 +/- 6.19 mg/dL and 103.33 +/- 8.02 mg/dL (p < 0.05) respectively. Leptin and interleukin (IL)-6 were significantly higher in the high-fat diet group than that in the control group (p < 0.01). As a result of a biochemical index analysis of bone metabolism, osteocalcin tended to be lower in the high-fat diet group, whereas CTx was significantly higher in the high-fat diet group compared to that in the control group (p < 0.01). The thickness of the bony trabecula was significantly narrower in the high-fat diet group than that in the control group (p < 0.05), and the gap in the bony trabecula was significantly wider in the high-fat diet group than that in the control group (p < 0.05). IL-6 and the gap in the bone trabecula, which was a morphological microstructure of the bones, showed a positive correlation (p < 0.05). Taken together, inducing obesity through a high-fat diet in mice during the growth phase caused a change in bone microstructure and was correlated with the inflammation index. Accordingly, restriction of excessive fat intake may be needed to suppress the inflammatory reactions and promote normal bone formation.