Objective To investigate the effect of exposure of different concentrations of PM2.5 on bone microstructure in ovariectomized SD rats. Methods SD rats were randomly divided into low-dose group, middle-dose group, and high-dose group, with different concentrations of PM2.5 (35ug/m3, 70ug/m3, 150ug/m3) through air-tract dripping. Castration was performed at the end of 5 months after dripping. The femur, tibia, and lumbar vertebrae were collected at the end of 9 months after dripping. The bone microstructure of the three groups were detected with micro-computerized tomography (micro-CT). Results Compared to those in the control group, the trabecular bone mineral density (Tb.BMD), bone volume fraction (BV/TV), structural model index (SMI), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), trabecular number (Tb.N), and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) of the tibia, femur, and lumbar vertebrae in PM2.5 exposure group decreased, but the trabecular separation degree (Tb.Sp) increased. In the PM2.5 exposure group, the changes of BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.N and Tb.Sp of tibial trabeculae were significantly different compared to those in the control group, and the changes of Tb.BMD, BV/TV, SMI, Tb.N, and Tb.Sp of femoral trabeculae were significantly different compared to those in the control group. The changes of SMI, Tb.Th, Tb.N, and Tb.Sp in lumbar trabeculae were significantly different compared to those in the control group (P < 0.05). The results of micro-CT three-dimensional reconstruction showed that, compared with the control group, the tibial bone marrow cavity in the PM2.5 exposure group was obviously empty and the trabecular bone was absent, the number of bone trabeculae in the Ward triangle of the femur was sparse and the gap became larger, and the integrity of the lumbar trabecular structure was destroyed and the rod-shaped structure was increased. Conclusion PM2.5 exposure can destroy the trabecular structures of the tibia, femur, and lumbar vertebrae in ovariectomized female SD rats. The number of trabecular structure changes from lamellar structure to rod-shaped structure, which shows that PM2.5 exposure can aggravate postmenopausal bone mass loss. |