Studies on differences of alveolar bone in it's metabolism

Research Project

Project/Area Number	13672046
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	補綴理工系歯学
Research Institution	Kagoshima University
Principal Investigator	NAGAOKA Eiichi Kagoshima University, Dental School, Professor, 歯学部, 教授 (00028812)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	EJIRI Sadakazu Niigata University Postgraduate School, Associate Professor, 大学院・医歯学総合研究科, 助教授 (40160361) KAWAMOTO Shin-ichiro Kagoshima University, Dental School, Research Associate, 歯学部, 助手 (70295260)
Project Period (FY)	2001 – 2002
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2002)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,500,000) Fiscal Year 2002: ¥1,500,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000) Fiscal Year 2001: ¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
Keywords	RANKL / ODF / periodontium / nerve / osteoclast
Research Abstract	In our study, immunolocalizations of RANKL protein were demonstrated in the rat periodontium. It was observed immunoreactions with the antibody against RANKL on nerve fibers-like structures. To identify nerve fibers-like structures immunopositive for RANKL, we performed the two experiments below. 1. Electro-microscopic observations of nerve fiber-like structures immunopositive for RANKL. To morphologically study nerve fiber-like structures immunopositive for RANKL, we utilized transmission electron microscopy (TEM). After immunoreactions with an antibody against RANKL, as a pre-embedding method sections were embedded in EPON. The thin sections thus obtained were subjected to TEM observation. It demonstrated that the products of the immunoreactions with the antibody against RANKL were located on the surfaces of the cytoplasmic processes. Structures immunopositive for RANKL were suggested to be morphologically analogous to nerve fibers. 2. Dual-staining with an antibody against RANKL and another against the nerve-specific protein PGP9.5 Wistar rats were killed and their mandibles were removed. After demineralization, the samples were processed for immunohistochemistry. Immunoreaction for RANKL was shown to be located around the blood vessels, and to be close to the immunolocalization of PGP9.5. Nerve fibers-like structures immunopositive for RANKL were observed more than the nerve fibers immunostained with PGP9.5. However, the co-localization of RANKL and PGP9.5 was not clearly demonstrated. In conclusion, the structures were shown to be morphologically analogous to nerve fibers that were not identified here.