Application of mesenchymal stromal cell sheets to prevent medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw with titanium implants in rats

This study aimed to investigate a rat model of MRONJ induced by extraoral placement of titanium materials and the use of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSCs) sheets to prevent MRONJ. Eight-week-old male rats were administered zoledronate and dexamethasone thrice weekly until killing. A week after drug initiation, a titanium screw and a plate were placed on the left buccal side of the mandible. Allogeneic bone marrow-derived MSC sheets were co-grafted with the titanium plates in the MSC sheet (  +) group. Six weeks after titanium placement, the rats were killed, and their excised mandibular bones were subjected to micro-computed tomography (CT) analysis. Histological analysis was performed after the titanium implants were removed. Empty lacunae visualized on hematoxylin and eosin stainin g were used as evidence of bone necrosis. Bone necrosis was reduced in the MSC sheet ( +) group. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining revealed a decreased number of TRAP-positive cells in areas with a large number of empty lacunae in the MSC sheet (–) group. Micro-CT analyses demo nstrated that the bone volume fraction (BV/TV) was not significantly different between the MSC sheet (–) and ( +) groups. We conclude that MRONJ can be triggered by a titanium placement in rats, and grafting of allogeneic MSC sheets has the potential to prevent MRONJ.
Source: Odontology - Category: Dentistry Source Type: research