Fig. 7

TRAF4 is decreased in bone sections of osteoporotic rats and patients. To evaluate the possible functional significance of TRAF4 in bone remodeling in vivo, we produced OVX rats as an animal model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. a Representative micro-CT image showing trabecular bone loss in OVX rats compared with the sham-operated rats (white arrows). b Representative H&E staining (scale bar = 100 µm) of trabecular bone loss in OVX rats compared with the sham-operated rats (black arrows). c Trabecular number was reduced in OVX rats. d Bone volume was reduced in OVX rats. e Immunofluorescence staining (scale bar = 50 µm) demonstrated that TRAF4 was weaker in the OCN⁺ osteoblast lineage in OVX rats than in sham-operated rats (white arrows). f Immunofluorescence staining (scale bar = 50 µm) demonstrated that the expression of TRAF4 was weaker in the OCN⁺ osteoblast lineage in osteoporotic patients than in control patients (white arrows). g Immunofluorescence staining (scale bar = 50 µm) demonstrated that Smurf2 expression was increased in the OCN⁺ osteoblast lineage in OVX rats compared to the sham-operated rats (white arrows). h Immunofluorescence staining (scale bar = 50 µm) demonstrated that Smurf2 expression was increased in the OCN⁺ osteoblast lineage in osteoporotic patients compared to the control patients (white arrows)