Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiology

Background: The coincidental occurrence of atherosclerosis and osteoporosis may be independent of age, and may be attributed to common pathophysiologic and molecular mechanisms. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) has been described in the literature as overexpressed in atherosclerosis models and its activity correlated with increased bone resorption in osteoporosis, and hence may be a key molecule in charge for coupling these two pathologies. Objectives: The present work aimed to study the effects of induction of atherosclerosis as well as osteoporosis on inflammatory markers, dyslipidemia markers, bone turnover markers in addition to MMP-9 expression in an attempt to explore the possible link between the two diseases. Furthermore, the present work aimed to examine whether treatment of one of the two diseases can affect the other. The two drugs of choice were Carvidelol which have a curative role in coronary atherosclerosis via its anti-inflammatory and vasodilator effects, and alendronate which is the most potent inhibitor of bone resorption and used for treatment of osteoporosis. Methods: Eighty adult female albino rats (12 weeks age) were divided into 1) control group: subdivided into1A) fed on standard rat show and housed in standard cages (28x40) with the same cagemates throughout the experiment, 1B) Sham ovariectomized rat with the same housing and feeding circumstances as 1A subgroup. 2) Atherosclerotic group: fed on HFD in combination with chronic mild stress. 3) osteoporotic group :underwent ovariectomy via ventral abdominal transverse incision

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