Dietary zinc supplementation increased TNFα and IL1β-induced RANKL expression, resulting in a decrease in bone mineral density in rats.

We investigated the effect of dietary zinc supplementation on bone metabolism in rats. Four-week-old male Wistar rats were fed a 30.0 mg zinc/kg diet (C), a 300.0 mg zinc/kg diet (HZ) or a 3,000.0 mg zinc/kg diet (EZ) for 4 weeks. The zinc content of the femur gradually increased in accordance with the gradual increase in the dietary zinc level. Although the mRNA expression of zinc transporters in bone did not differ between the groups, the mRNA expression of metallothioneins was increased in the HZ and EZ groups compared to the C group. Moreover, the bone mineral density was significantly decreased in the HZ and EZ groups compared to the C group. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor α, Interleukin-1β and osteoclastogenesis-related genes such as receptor for activator of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) ligand, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6, and nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1 was significantly increased in the HZ and EZ groups compared to the C group. These findings suggested that dietary zinc supplementation reduced bone mineral density through the promotion of bone resorption via an increase in the expression of receptor for activator of NF-κB ligand induced by tumor necrosis factor α and Interleukin-1β.