S-allylmercapto-N-acetylcysteine protects bone cells from oxidation and improves femur microarchitecture in healthy and diabetic mice

Oxidative stress is involved in the deterioration of bone quality and mechanical strength in both diabetic and aging adults. Therefore, we studied the ability of the antioxidant compound, S-allylmercapto-N-acetylcysteine (ASSNAC) to protect bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) from advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) cytotoxicity and improve bone microarchitecture of adult healthy and obese/diabetic (db/db) female mice. ASSNAC effect on AGEs-treated cultured rat BMSCs was evaluated by Neutral Red and XTT cell survival and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level assays. Its effect on healthy (C57BL/6) and obese/diabetic (C57BLKS/J Lepr^db+/+; db/db) female mice femur parameters, such as (1) number of adherent BMSCs, (2) percentage of CD73⁺/CD45⁻ cells in bone marrow (BM), (3) glutathione level in BM cells, and (4) femur microarchitecture parameters by microcomputed tomography, was studied. ASSNAC treatment protected BMSCs by significantly decreasing AGEs-induced ROS production and increasing their cellular resistance to the cytotoxic effect of AGEs. ASSNAC treatment of healthy female mice (50 mg/kg/day; i.p.; age 12–20 weeks) significantly increased the number of BMSCs (+60%), CD73⁺/CD45⁻ cells (+134%), and glutathione level (+110%) in the femur bone marrow. Furthermore, it increased the femur length (+3%), cortical diameter (+3%), and cortical areal moment of inertia (Ct.MOI; +10%) a surrogate for biomechanical strength. In db/db mice that demonstrated a compromised trabecular bone and growth plate microarchitecture, ASSNAC treatment restored the trabecular number (Tb.N, +29%), bone volume fraction (Tb.BV/TV, +130%), and growth plate primary spongiosa volumetric bone mineral density (PS-vBMD, +7%) and thickness (PS-Th, +18%). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that ASSNAC protects bone marrow cells from oxidative stress and may improve bone microarchitecture in adult healthy and diabetic female mice.