Treatment with cumulative dosages of zoledronic acid (ZA) in elderly patients is a risk factor for the development of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ), mainly related to surgical triggers such as tooth extraction. However, animal models for the investigation and understanding of MRONJ pathophysiology in senescent and postmenopausal stages remains to be developed and characterized. The aim of this study was to analyze MRONJ development in senescent female mice treated with cumulative dosages of ZA. For this purpose, twenty 129/Sv female mice, 64 weeks old, were treated with 0.9% saline solution as Control group (n=10), and with ZA at 250µg/Kg (n=10), once a week, starting 4 weeks before the upper right incisor extraction and until the end of the experimental time points (7 days and 21 days).At 7 and 21 days, specimens were harvested for microCT, histological, birefringence and immunohistochemical analysis. Clinically, an incomplete epithelialization was observed in ZA group at 7 days and a delayed bone matrix mineralization and collagen maturation at 7 and 21 days compared to the controls. Controls revealed sockets filled with mature bone at 21 days as observed by microCT and birefringence, while ZA group presented delayed bone deposition at 7 and 21 days, as well increased leukocyte infiltration and blood clot at 7 days, and increased bone sequestrum and empty osteocyte lacunae at 21 days (p<0.05). Also, ZA group presented decreased quantity TGFb+ and Runx-2+ cells at 7 days, and decreased quantity of TRAP+ osteoclasts compared to the control at 21 days (p<0.05). Togheter, these data demonstrate the usefulness of this model to understanding the pathophysiology of MRONJ.
Signaling lipid mediators released from 5 lipoxygenase (5LO) pathways influence both bone and muscle cells, interfering in their proliferation and differentiation capacities. A major limitation to studying inflammatory signaling pathways in bone and muscle healing is the inadequacy of available animal models. We developed a surgical injury model in the vastus lateralis (VL) muscle and femur in 129/SvEv littermates mice to study simultaneous musculoskeletal (MSK) healing in male and female, young (3 months) and aged (18 months) WT mice compared to mice lacking 5LO (5LOKO). MSK defects were surgically created using a 1-mm punch device in the VA muscle followed by a 0.5-mm round defect in the femur. After days 7 and 14 post-surgery, the specimens were removed for microtomography (microCT), histopathology, and immunohistochemistry analyses. In addition, non-injured control skeletal muscles along with femur and L5 vertebrae were analyzed. Bones were microCT phenotyped, revealing that aged female WT mice presented reduced BV/TV and trabecular parameters compared to aged males and aged female 5LOKO mice. Skeletal muscles underwent a customized targeted lipidomics investigation for profiling and quantification of lipid signaling mediators (LMs), evidencing age, and gender related-differences in aged female 5LOKO mice compared to matched WT. Histological analysis revealed a suitable bone-healing process with osteoid deposition at day 7 post-surgery, followed by woven bone at day 14 post-surgery, observed in all young mice. Aged WT females displayed increased inflammatory response at day 7 post-surgery, delayed bone matrix maturation, and increased TRAP immunolabeling at day 14 post-surgery compared to 5LOKO females. Skeletal muscles of aged animals showed higher levels of inflammation in comparison to young controls at day 14 post-surgery; however, inflammatory process was attenuated in aged 5LOKO Biguetti et al. MSK Healing in 5LOKO Mice mice compared to aged WT. In conclusion, this new model shows that MSK healing is influenced by age, gender, and the 5LO pathway, which might serve as a potential target to investigate therapeutic interventions and age-related MSK diseases. Our new model is suitable for bone-muscle crosstalk studies.
Stem cells in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) scaffolds may be a promising treatment for cartilage repair. Human dental pulp stem cell (hDPSC) subpopulations have been identified to have substantial angiogenic, neurogenic and regenerative potential when compared with other stem cell sources. The present study evaluated the potential of hDPSCs in a PRP scaffold to regenerate full-thickness cartilage defects in rabbits. Full-thickness articular cartilage defects were created in the patellar groove of the femur of 30 rabbits allocated into three experimental groups: Those with an untreated critical defect (CTL), those treated with PRP (PRP) and those treated with stem cells in a PRP scaffold (PRP+SC). The patellar grooves of the femurs from the experimental groups were evaluated macroscopically and histologically at 6 and 12 weeks post-surgery. The synovial membranes were also collected and evaluated for histopathological analysis. The synovial lining cell layer was enlarged in the CTL group compared with the PRP group at 6 weeks (P=0.037) but not with the PRP+SC group. All groups exhibited low-grade synovitis at 6 weeks and no synovitis at 12 weeks. Notably, macroscopic grades for the area of articular cartilage repair for the PRP+SC group were significantly improved compared with those in the CTL (P=0.001) and PRP (P=0.049) groups at 12 weeks. Furthermore, histological scores (modified O'Driscoll scoring system) of the patellar groove articular cartilage in the PRP+SC and PRP groups, in which the articular cartilage was primarily hyaline-like, were significantly higher compared with those in the CTL group at 12 weeks (P=0.002 and P=0.007, respectively). The present results support the therapeutic use of hDPSCs for the treatment of full-thickness articular cartilage defects.
In oral surgery, the quality of bone repair may be influenced by several factors that can increase the morbidity of the procedure. The type of equipment used for ostectomy can directly affect bone healing. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone repair of mandible bone defects prepared in rabbits using three different rotary devices. Fifteen New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned to 3 groups (n=5) according to type of rotary device used to create bone defects: I--pneumatic low-speed rotation engine, II--pneumatic high-speed rotation engine, and III--electric low-speed rotation engine. The anatomic pieces were surgically obtained after 2, 7 and 30 days and submitted to histological and morphometric analysis. The morphometric results were expressed as the total area of bone remodeling matrix using an image analysis system. Increases in the bone remodeling matrix were noticed with time along the course of the experiment. No statistically significant differences (p>0.05) were observed among the groups at the three sacrificing time points considering the total area of bone mineralized matrix, although the histological analysis showed a slightly advanced bone repair in group III compared to the other two groups. The findings of the present study suggest that the type of rotary device used in oral and maxillofacial surgery does not interfere with the bone repair process.
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