Evaluation of bone marrow fat content and fatty acid composition using quantitative MRI combined with metabonomics in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the bone marrow of alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits through the application of iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least squares estimated quantitative sequence (IDEAL-IQ), micro computed tomography (Micro-CT), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Methods Twenty male Japanese white rabbits were randomly assigned to two groups: the diabetic group (n=10) and the control group (n=10).The lumbar vertebral bone marrow fat content of the rabbits was evaluated using the IDEAL-IQ quantification sequence at four-week intervals following the induction of diabetes. Upon the identification of statistically significant differences in the lumbar bone marrow fat fraction (FF) between the diabetic and control groups, the experimental rabbits were euthanized following ethical guidelines.Subsequently, lumbar spine samples were collected for further analysis, including Micro-CT examination, histopathological examination, and GC-MS analysis. Results In the 16th week, a statistically significant difference in vertebral marrow fat fraction (FF) was observed between the diabetes group and the control group. Micro-CT and histopathological examinations revealed a significant reduction in trabecular bone density and an increased presence of adipocytes in the diabetic group compared to the control group. The OPLS-DA model successfully distinguished between the control group and the diabetic group, identifying nine specific fatty acids that were most strongly associated with the observed differences. Conclusion In a diabetic rabbit osteoporosis model, there are alterations in the bone marrow fat content and fatty acid composition.