TNFSF11 and type 1 diabetes mellitus: Zinc supplementation has been shown to prevent bone loss in chronic T1DM rats by stimulating expression of the mineralizing phenotype in osteoblasts and reducing expression of the resorptive phenotype in osteoclasts, achieved by osteocalcin up-regulation and RANKL, OPG, COL1A, and MMP-9 protein down-regulation [124].