Regulation of energy metabolism by the skeleton: From individual pathways to systems biology

A rat model of osteoporosis will be generated by ovariectomy (OVX; n=5, sham n=5). Prior to cull, a glucose-tolerance test will be performed, and rats will undergo a dynamic FDG PET/CT scan to determine FDG uptake into the bone, cartilage, white and brown adipose tissue (WAT; BAT), heart, muscle, and liver. Whole-body PET fingerprinting technology will be used to identify skeletal / metabolic (adipose, heart, liver, and muscle) networks and determine if these networks are altered by bone dysregulation (osteoporosis) (Fig 2). Following cull, bone turnover will be assessed by measuring serum markers of procollagen Type 1 N-Terminal propeptide (P1NP) and CrossLaps (Ctx). Finally, we will confirm the osteoporotic phenotype in the OVX and sham rats using micro-computed tomography (µCT).