Meloxicam temporally inhibits the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1 and VEGFR-2 during alveolar bone repair in rats.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role during angiogenesis and bone repair. This study investigated whether the use of meloxicam alters bone repair via downregulation of VEGF and receptor expression. METHODS: One hundred twenty male Wistar rats had their maxillary right incisor extracted. Animals were divided into a control group (CG; n = 60) and a meloxicam-treated group (TG; n = 60) that received either a single daily intraperitoneal injection of 0.9% NaCl or meloxicam 3 mg/kg, respectively, for 7 consecutive days. Alveolar bone repair was evaluated histomorphometrically, whereas VEGF and its receptors were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Data were submitted to two-way analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc test with P < 0.05. RESULTS: Bone volume density increased significantly (P = 0.001) in both groups with a strong correlation between treatment and periods (P = 0.003). In the TG, a small amount of bone formation occurred compared with the CG between 3 and 21 days. No significant differences in the number of VEGF-positive cells per square millimeter (P = 0.07) and VEGF messenger RNA (mRNA) expression (P = 0.49) were found between groups. Immunostained cells per square millimeter and mRNA expression for VEGF receptor (VEGFR)-1 (P = 0.04 and P < 0.001) and VEGFR-2 (P < 0.001 for both analysis) showed a strong interaction between treatment groups and periods. In the TG, immunostained cells per square millimeter and mRNA expression for VEGFR-1 were, respectively, 89% and 37% lower from 3 to 10 days compared with the CG, whereas for VEGFR-2, these values were 252% and 60%, respectively, from 3 to 7 days. CONCLUSION: In rat alveolar bone repair, meloxicam did not affect VEGF expression but downregulated VEGFR expression, which may cause a delay in the bone repair/remodeling process.

Estudos dos efeitos de um anti-inflamatório não esteroidal seletivo para COX-2 na osteogênese e na expressão das proteínas COX-2 e RUNX-2 durante o reparo ósseo alveolar em ratos / Effect of a selective anti-infflamatory inhibitor of COX-3 in the osteogenesis and COX-2 and RUNX-2 proteins expression in the alveolar bone healing in rats

Objetivo: No atual trabalho propomo-nos a avaliar morfometricamente possíveis alterações na reparação óssea alveolar pós-exodontia de ratos tratados com Meloxicam, um anti-inflamatório inibidor preferencial da cicloxigenase 2 (COX-2) e correlacionar com a expressão temporal da COX-2 e do fator de transcrição 2 com domínio Runt (Runx-2) associada com a diferenciação de células da linhagem osteoblástica. Material e Métodos: A exodontia do incisivo superior direito foi realizada em 120 ratos Wistar, divididos em grupo controle (n = 60) - animais tratados com injeção intraperitoneal de 0,1 ml de solução salina 0,9% diariamente e grupo tratado (n = 60) animais tratados com injeção de Meloxicam na dose de 3mg/kg de massa corporal, diariamente, ambos durante 7 dias. O volume total do alvéolo (VtA) e do tecido ósseo (VtO), o número de células imunomarcadas/mm² (Nm) para COX-2 e Runx-2 e a expressão protéica por Western blotting (WB) da COX-2 e RUNX-2 foram avaliados nos períodos 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 e 30 dias póscirurgias. Resultados: No grupo tratado o VtA manteve-se constante até os 21 dias, enquanto que no controle foi 0,272 vezes menor em relação aos 3 dias decorrente da maior atividade osteoclástica. Porém, aos 14 dias, no grupo tratado o VtO foi 0,337 vezes menor em relação ao controle decorrente da inibição parcial da transmigração de células inflamatórias responsáveis pela degradação do coágulo e da angiogênese, ocasionando um retardo na formação dos tecidos de granulação/conjuntivo, na diferenciação das células osteoblásticas e na formação/remodelação do tecido ósseo, e consequentemente no reparo ósseo alveolar. A imunomarcação para COX-2 foi observada em diversos tipos celulares, como fibroblastos, células endoteliais, células inflamatórias, osteoblastos e osteócitos. O Nm para COX-2 não apresentou diferenças estatísticas significantes entre os grupos no intervalo de 3 e 21 dias pós-cirurgia, enquanto que, a expressão...

Objective: To evaluate morphometrically possible changes in post-extraction alveolar bone healing in rats treated with Meloxicam, a selective anti-inflammatory inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and to correlate it with the temporal expression of COX-2 and transcription factor 2 with Runt domain (Runx-2) associated with differentiation of osteoblastic lineage cells. Material and Methods: The extraction of the right upper incisor was made in 120 male Wistar rats, divided into control group (n=60) - animals treated with an intraperitoneal injection of 0,1 ml of 0,9% NaCl solution daily for 7 days and the treated group (n=60) - animals treated with injection of 3mg/kg of body weight of Meloxicam 0.9% NaCl solution daily for 7 days. The total alveolar volume (VtA), total bone tissue volume (VtO), number of immunohistochemically positive cells/mm² (Nm) for COX-2 and RUNX-2 and the Western blotting (WB) COX-2 and RUNX-2 protein expressions were evaluated after 3, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 30 days after the surgeries. Results: In the treated group the VtA remained constant until the 21st day, while in the control group at the same day the value was 0,272 times lower compared to the 3 days period, due to the higher osteoclastic activity. However, at 14 days the VtO was 0,337 times lower in the treated group compared to the control due to the partial inhibition of the transmigration of inflammatory cells responsible for the degradation of the clot and angiogenesis, causing a delay in the formation of granulation/connective tissues, differentiation of osteoblastic cells and in bone tissue formation/remodeling, and consequently in the alveolar bone repair. The immunostaining for COX-2 was observed in various cell types, such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells, inflammatory cells, osteoblasts and osteocytes. The Nm for COX-2 showed no statistical differences between groups from the 3rd to the 21st day, while the WB protein expression was on average 0,232 times lower in the...