Parabiosis reinvigorates age-related bone quality through Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Abstract

Abstract Pathological changes, including increased bone loss and osteoporosis, accompany aging. The heterochronic parabiosis model is commonly used to study aging. Parabiosis is a surgical procedure of joining two animals to share blood circulation The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is essential in osteoblast differentiation and in regulating the bone tissue to rejuvenate the aged phenotype. In this research we aim to determine the effect of parabiosis on bone loss and osteoblast differentiation to understand the mechanism of bone loss. The serum markers of bone loss, biomechanics, radiography, histology, and related proteins were examined after three months of surgery. Our results demonstrate that heterochronic parabiosis reversed the aged bone loss phenotype and reduced osteogenic capacity by activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Our results explain the therapeutic mechanism of young circulation and provide evidence for the clinical treatment of bone loss related to aging.