Assessing Bone in Chronic Kidney Disease: Impact of Time and Dietary Fiber

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is characterized by progressive decline in kidney function and one of the most common side effects is increased bone fragility. People who have CKD, therefore, have an increased risk of bone fracture and, if a fracture occurs, their chances of mortality are greatly increased. Our lab focuses on the treatment of bone fragility in CKD and more specifically my project focuses on how supplementation with dietary fiber impacts microarchitecture, bone formation, and bone mechanical properties in rats with CKD. Rats were studied in earlier (30 weeks) and later (32 weeks) stages of disease progression. Three groups were studied – CKD, CKD with dietary inulin fiber, and non-CKD healthy animals. Microarchitecture was assessed via micro-CT. Bones were then embedded in hard plastic, sectioned and bone formation was analyzed by histology. Finally, the bones were mechanically tested via three-point bending. Overall, these data will provide insight into the structural, cellular, and mechanical changes caused by CKD and whether fiber supplementation improves bone parameters in progressive CKD.