Effect of rapamycin on hepatic osteodystrophy in rats with portasystemic shunting.

Aim: To study if T-cell activation related to portasystemic shunting causes osteoclast-mediated bone loss through RANKL-dependent pathways. We also investigated if T-cell inhibition using rapamycin would protect against bone loss in rats.

Methods: Portasystemic shunting was performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats and rapamycin 0.