Blueberry consumption prevents loss of collagen in bone matrix and inhibits senescence pathways in osteoblastic cells

Zhang J, Lazarenko OP, Blackburn ML, Badger TM, Ronis MJJ, Chen JR · AGE · 2012 May 04

Objective

To investigate the effects of ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss on bone cell senescence and collagen degradation, and the potential protective role of a blueberry-supplemented diet.

Conclusions

The study concludes that OVX-induced bone loss and cell senescence are associated with collagen degradation, but a diet supplemented with blueberries prior to puberty can prevent these effects by inhibiting cellular senescence and collagen degradation.

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Insights

Blueberry consumption prior to puberty can significantly prevent bone cell senescence and bone loss induced due to the removal of ovaries in rats.

The methodology used in the study involves two parts: an in-vivo study and an in-vitro study. In the in-vivo portion, immature rats were fed a diet supplemented with blueberries either throughout their development or only prior to puberty, and then subjected to ovariectomy. The changes in bone collagen matrix and senescence markers were then examined. In the in-vitro part, three different bone cell lines were studied for cellular senescence pathways. The bone cells were treated with serum either from ovariectomized rats or from blueberry-fed ovariectomized rats to observe the effects on osteoblastic cell senescence pathways and potential to differentiate into adipocytes. The results showed that ovariectomy led to bone loss, a decrease in collagen and Sirt1, and an increase in the senescence markers collagenase and p16/p21. However, feeding blueberry-supplemented diet to rats prior to puberty prevented these ovariectomy-induced effects. The in-vitro studies revealed that collagen inhibited senescence in a dose-response manner, and serum from ovariectomized rats accelerated osteoblastic cell senescence pathways. It also revealed that bone cell senescence is associated with decreased Sirt1 expression and increased p53, p16, and p21. However, this acceleration did not occur when cells were treated with serum from blueberry-fed ovariectomized rats.