Inhibition of the Progesterone Nuclear Receptor during the Bone Linear Growth Phase Increases Peak Bone Mass in Female Mice

Augmentation of the peak bone mass (PBM) may be one of the most effective interventions to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life; however treatments to augment PBM are currently limited. Our study evaluated whether a greater PBM could be achieved either in the progesterone nuclear receptor knockout mice (PRKO) or by using a nuclear progesterone receptor (nPR) antagonist, RU486 in mice. Compared to their wild type (WT) littermates the female PRKO mice developed significantly higher cancellous and cortical mass in the distal femurs, and this was associated with increased bone formation. The high bone mass phenotype was partially reproduced by administering RU486 in female WT mice from 1–3 months of age. Our results suggest that the inhibition of the nPR during the rapid bone growth period (1–3 months) increases osteogenesis, which results in acquisition of higher bone mass. Our findings suggest a crucial role for progesterone signaling in bone acquisition and inhibition of the nPR as a novel approach to augment bone mass, which may have the potential to reduce the burden of osteoporosis

Alexander Scordelis Memorial Session: Thin Shell Concrete Structures

IASS-IACM 2008 Session: Alexander Scordelis Memorial Session: Thin Shell Concrete Structures -- Note: Video is available for the Keynote Lectures by Billington, Meyer and Willam -- Session Organizers: Maria GARLOCK (Princeton University), John ABEL (Cornell Univ.) -- Keynote Lecture and Video: "Alexander Scordelis: Friend, colleague and mentor" by David P. BILLINGTON (Princeton University) -- Keynote Lecture and Video: "Alexander C. Scordelis and concrete shells" by Christian MEYER (Columbia University) -- Keynote Lecture and Video: "Alexander C. Scordelis: Legacy in finite element analysis of reinforced concrete" by Kaspar J. WILLAM (University of Colorado) -- Keynote Lecture: "Alex C. Scordelis? great achievements in bridge engineering ? From computer programs to the Golden Gate Bridge retrofit" by Ekkehard RAMM (Stuttgart University) -- "3-D pushover analysis of a collapsed reinforced concrete chimney" by Wei HUANG (KPFF Consulting Engineers), Phillip L. GOULD (Washington University) -- "Structural optimization of concrete hyperbolic paraboloid umbrella shells" by Powell DRAPER, Maria E. Moreyra GARLOCK, David P. BILLINGTON (Princeton University) -- "Delamination in a two-layer thin-shell concrete dome with unanticipated construction openings" by Sinead C. MAC NAMARA (Syracuse University) -- "Testing, modeling and constructing wood-plastic composite Catalan vaults" by Edmond SALIKLIS, Kyle WHITE (Cal Poly) -- "Concrete vaulting in Imperial Rome: A structural analysis of the Great Hall of Trajan's Markets" by Renato PERUCCHIO, Philip BRUNE (University of Rochester) -- "Numerical study of steel corrosion in concrete shell members" by O. Burkan ISGOR, Mohammad POUR-GHAZ, Pouria GHODS (Carleton University