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Biomedical subjects

Claude Baudoin

Publications and source records attributed to Claude Baudoin.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Preferences of newborn mice for odours indicating closer genetic relatedness: is experience necessary?

Evidence from studies with adult rodents indicates that individual recognition enables distinctions between familiar individuals irrespective of relatedness (but including close kin) and a separate mechanism enables discriminations based on genetic relatedness without prior familiarity. For example, adult mice could assess the extent of their genetic relatedness to unfamiliar individuals using perceptual similarities between their individual odours. The ontogeny of this genetic relatedness assessment mechanism, however, had not been investigated. Here, in two-choice tests, newborn mice differentially preferred odours of more genetically similar lactating females (paternal aunts to unrelated conspecific and conspecific to heterospecific) even without prior direct exposure to adults with the tested genotypes. The results provide a direct demonstration of genetic relatedness assessment abilities in newborns and show that experience with parental odours is not necessary for genetic relatedness distinctions. Future studies will be necessary to determine whether exposure to odours of other foetuses in the womb or littermates shortly after birth affects this genetic relatedness assessment process.

Animals↗

Severe osteopenia in CFTR-null mice.

Osteoporosis is a common complication in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In this study, we performed a histomorphometric analysis of the bones of a mouse genetic model of human CF in which both copies of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene are inactivated. We find that, even in the absence of obvious nutritional and therapeutic differences, the CFTR mutation is associated with severe osteopenia. Bone mineral density (BMD) of total body and of individual bones is significantly diminished. CFTR mutants display a striking significant (50%) reduction of cortical bone width and thinner trabeculae. Analysis of dynamic parameters indicates a significant reduction of bone formation and a concomitant strong increase in bone resorption. Active osteoclasts where found mostly associated with cortical bone. Our data support the concept that CF-associated osteoporosis is part of the syndromic symptoms associated with the CFTR mutation.

Animals↗

Bone mineral density, biochemical markers and skeletal fractures in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: End-stage renal disease is often associated with altered bone metabolism. METHODS: In order to investigate the determinant factors of bone mineral density (BMD) and the risk factors of fractures, we studied 70 patients; 26 women (23 post-menopausal) and 44 men, (mean+/-SD) aged 60.5+/-14.3 years, treated by standard haemodialysis (HD) for 6.4+/-6.8 years. Main circulating bone biochemical markers were assessed and BMD was measured with a Lunar DPX densitometer at five sites. BMD results are expressed as a function of age and gender (Z-score). RESULTS: Mean Z-score was markedly decreased at the mid-radius (-2.75+/-1.23) whereas it was normal at the femoral neck (-0.42+/-1.13) and lumbar spine (0.02+/-2.13), and total body (-0.62+/-1.53). Time on HD was negatively correlated to the Z-score at the mid-radius and total body but not at the other sites. Serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), whole PTH or cyclase activating PTH (CAP) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase concentrations were negatively correlated with Z-scores at all sites. Twenty-one out of 70 patients had sustained a total of 27 fractures since the beginning of dialysis therapy (seven ribs, seven ankles, six vertebrae, three humerus, two wrists and two hips). They had a total body Z-score significantly lower than that of patients without fractures, -1.34+/-1.54 vs -0.37+/-1.46, respectively (P<0.031); however, their Z-scores at the other sites were not different. They were on HD for longer time, 10.4+/-9.5 vs 5.0+/-5.1, respectively (P<0.003), and the relative risk of skeletal fractures was 6.4 times greater after 10 years of HD. The seven patients with rib fractures had a decreased Z-score at most of the sites but not at the mid-radius. Rib fractures but no other fractures were associated with markedly decreased body weight, fat mass and serum leptin levels. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the Z-score at the mid-radius was decreased in HD patients and correlated with high serum PTH but not with fractures. Bone fractures were associated with the time passed on HD and with a low total body Z-score. Rib fractures were frequent and associated with a poor nutritional state.

Adult↗

Estradiol and raloxifene decrease the formation of multinucleate cells in human bone marrow cultures.

Estrogen (E2) deficiency is responsible for increased bone turnover in the postmenopausal period, and it can be prevented by estrogen replacement therapy. The way estrogen acts on bone cells is not fully understood. Human bone marrow cell cultures may be a reliable model for studying the action of steroids on osteoclastogenesis in vitro. We examine the effects of estradiol and Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on human primary bone marrow cells cultured for 15 days. 17beta-estradiol and Raloxifene significantly decreased the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase multinucleate cells from osteoclast precursors on day 15. Estrogen receptor alpha (ER-alpha) mRNA was present in bone marrow mononuclear cells cultured for 5 days, but there was no estrogen receptor beta (ER-beta) mRNA, suggesting that this effect was mediated by ER-alpha. 15-day cultures no longer contained ER-alpha mRNA, suggesting that estrogen acts on early events of osteoclast differentiation. Finally, 10-8 M 17beta-estradiol has no effect on the release of IL-6 and IL-6-sr into the medium of marrow mononuclear cells cultured for 5 or 15 days. Osteoclast apoptosis was not affected by estradiol or Raloxifene after 15 days of culture under our conditions. In conclusion, we have shown that both estradiol and Raloxifene inhibit osteoclast differentiation in human bone marrow mononuclear cultures. The biological effect that can mimic in vivo differentiation could be mediated through ER-alpha.

Apoptosis↗